Okay well you just learned a very big lesson about partnership agreements and having them in writing.  But that will not help you at this point so let's move on.  Although you do not have an agreement s to dissolution of the partnership, you do have a verbal agreement as to the partnership itself and running the business and the equipment.  Although you did not say in whose name the equipment is at this point or who paid for it (in name only) or if it is owned outright, he can not do what he did.  So you will need to sue him as soon as you can and ask for a return of the equipment so that the business can continue.  You are also going to ask that he be enjoined from contacting any clients of the business to do the work in his own name.  Get legal help here.  Good luck