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RICHARD v. RICHARD

Supreme Court of Rhode Island (2006) | 900 A.2d 1170

4 min read

TL;DR: A divorcing couple sought to enforce an oral promise from the husband's father to sell them a house. The court enforced the unwritten agreement, finding the couple's payments, possession, and substantial permanent improvements to the property satisfied the part performance exception to the Statute of Frauds.

Legal Significance: This case illustrates how a combination of acts—continued possession, permanent improvements, and partial payment—can satisfy the part performance doctrine, making an oral contract for the sale of land enforceable despite the Statute of Frauds, even when the acts viewed individually might be insufficient.