Delaware’s Court of Chancery is known far and wide for its expertise in settling complicated matters of business law, with its judges drawing on decades of legal expertise and an uncanny knowledge of precedent and case law.
But in a ruling issued earlier this month, the court’s head judge, Chancellor William B. Chandler III, cited a more unorthodox canon of work in support of his decision.
In the matter of Stephenson C. Jarvis v. Rick T. Elliott, two Sussex County dirt track racing enthusiasts, Chancellor pulled references from the world of NASCAR, including legendary racer Richard Petty and the films “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” and “Days of Thunder.”
Regarding a claim made by Jarvis that one particular engine was given to the team in exchange for advertising space on the team’s No. 45 car, Chandler cited “Talladega Nights,” the 2006 comedy starring Will Farrell.
Chandler made reference to a scene that provides “an example of a driver contractually obligated to incorporated the name of his sponsor, Powerade, into all pre-meal blessings.”
In the end, Chandler ruled Jarvis must pay Elliott approximately $1,200 for parts and unpaid race winnings.
Georgetown lawyer David J. Weidman, who represented Elliott, called the ruling “one of the best decisions I’ve ever seen written.”
Chandler said sometimes a case needs a little humor.
“You have to be very careful with it, but if you think the parties need to lighten up a little, you can try to use some levity or humor,” he said. “It’s just money; it’s not life and death.”
Email Doug Denison at doug.denison@doverpost.com.
