Vince v. Wilson Case Brief

Supreme Court of Vermont1989Docket #2148310
561 A.2d 103 151 Vt. 425 1989 Vt. LEXIS 81 Torts Civil Procedure

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

4 min read

tl;dr: A person who provides funds for an incompetent driver to buy a car, and the dealer who knowingly sells it, can be liable for negligent entrustment. The court expanded liability beyond owners to anyone who “supplies” a dangerous chattel, creating a foreseeable risk.

Legal Significance: Expands the tort of negligent entrustment beyond traditional owners or possessors. Liability can attach to any party who “supplies” a chattel, including a seller or one who finances the purchase, if they know or should know the recipient is incompetent to use it safely.

Vince v. Wilson Law School Study Guide

Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.

Case Facts & Court Holding

Key Facts & Case Background

Defendant Wilson provided funds for her grandnephew to purchase an automobile. Wilson was aware that her grandnephew did not possess a driver’s license, had failed the driver’s test on multiple occasions, and had a history of substance abuse. Before the sale, Wilson informed defendant Gardner, a salesman for defendant Ace Auto Sales, Inc., that her grandnephew was not a licensed driver. Despite this knowledge, Gardner proceeded with the sale of the vehicle to the grandnephew on behalf of Ace Auto. Subsequently, the grandnephew operated the vehicle negligently, causing an accident that seriously injured the plaintiff, who was a passenger. The plaintiff brought a personal injury action against Wilson for providing the funds and against Ace Auto and Gardner for selling the car, asserting a theory of negligent entrustment against all defendants. The trial court directed a verdict in favor of Ace Auto and Gardner but submitted the claim against Wilson to the jury, which returned a verdict for the plaintiff.

Court Holding & Legal Precedent

Issue: Does the tort of negligent entrustment extend liability to a person who supplies a chattel, such as by providing funds for its purchase or by selling it, to another whom the supplier knows or has reason to know is likely to use it in a manner involving an unreasonable risk of harm?

Yes. Liability for negligent entrustment is not limited to those who own 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 v

Read the full analysis

The complete holding, rule, and analysis for this case are available to LSD+ subscribers.

Start 14-Day Free Trial

IRAC Legal Analysis

Premium Feature Unlock

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

Does the tort of negligent entrustment extend liability to a person who supplies a chattel, such as by providing funds for its purchase or by selling it, to another whom the supplier knows or has reason to know is likely to use it in a manner involving an unreasonable risk of harm?

Conclusion

This case establishes that liability for negligent entrustment in Vermont is based 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

Legal Rule

One who supplies directly or through a third person a chattel for 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

Legal Analysis

The Supreme Court of Vermont explicitly adopted the broad definition of negligent 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 dolore magna a

Flash-to-Full Case Opinions

Flash Summary

  • The tort of negligent entrustment extends beyond owners to anyone who
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 fugia

Read the full analysis

The complete holding, rule, and analysis for this case are available to LSD+ subscribers.

Start 14-Day Free Trial