FAIRFIELD LEASING v. TECHNI-GRAPHICS Case Brief
Complete case briefs with LSD+
Every LSD.Law brief pairs a full IRAC analysis with opinion summaries at three levels of depth, written by a team of Harvard Law and MIT graduates - a quick synopsis when you are pressed for time, the complete reasoning when you need to go deep.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: A company leased a coffee machine via an adhesion contract with a fine-print jury waiver. When sued, the company demanded a jury. The court refused to enforce the inconspicuous waiver, finding it invalid in a non-negotiated form contract.
Legal Significance: Establishes that a jury trial waiver in a standardized adhesion contract is unenforceable unless it is conspicuous, extending UCC principles of conspicuousness to protect the constitutional right to a civil jury trial as a matter of public policy.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Defendant Techni-Graphics, Inc. (TGI) entered into a standardized, non-negotiated lease agreement for a coffee machine with U-Vend, Inc. The lease was subsequently assigned to Plaintiff Fairfield Leasing Corporation (FLC). The agreement was a classic contract of adhesion, printed in extremely small, single-spaced type. Buried within one of the 23 paragraphs was a clause waiving the right to a jury trial. A similar waiver was in the personal guarantee signed by TGI’s principal. When TGI stopped making payments, alleging the machine was defective and infested with insects, FLC sued for breach of contract. TGI demanded a jury trial on all issues. FLC and U-Vend moved to strike the jury demand, citing the waiver clause. The court characterized the document as one prepared with the intent that it be neither negotiated nor read, and noted that TGI entered the agreement without the assistance of counsel.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Is a pre-dispute jury trial waiver clause, contained inconspicuously within a standardized, non-negotiated contract of adhesion, enforceable against the party that did not draft the agreement?
No. The court denied the motion to strike the jury demand, holding Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in repreh
IRAC Legal Analysis
About IRAC analysis
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the structure professors expect in exam answers. Each LSD.Law brief states the issue, the governing rule with citations, the court's application of that rule, and the conclusion - the same reasoning pattern you will use on exams and in practice.
Legal Issue
Is a pre-dispute jury trial waiver clause, contained inconspicuously within a standardized, non-negotiated contract of adhesion, enforceable against the party that did not draft the agreement?
Conclusion
This case establishes a significant protection for parties entering adhesion contracts by Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ull
Legal Rule
In New Jersey, a jury trial waiver in a non-negotiated contract of Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in
Legal Analysis
The court began by recognizing the right to a civil jury trial Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et d
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- A jury trial waiver in a non-negotiated contract of adhesion is