• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Sale of intellectual property

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

S

Saoir

Guest
California law.

I am in Europe, and my father (also here) who has very limited resources has sold the rights to use an astrological program he developed to a US company for use on the internet for a purchase price and an ongoing percentage of revenue. Date of sale: Sept 2002.

Purchase price involved three lump sum payments, amount A after 15 days, amount B after 60 days and amount C after 120 days. Percentages were to be paid months within five days of the end of the week.

Trouble is the only punishment I can see in the contract is going to arbitration, which is expensive and would last years.

Fine so far.

Problem:
-The company has paid nothing at all to date. It has recently received new venture capital money. But my father hasn't got the money to engage a lawyer to sue in California.

There is a "Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Conditions clause where the parties agree that all such will be true.

Question:
Is there any way that this contract could be considered null and void when the purchaser didn't even deliver the first payment after 15 days ? and has not made a single payment to date ? Is this some kind of lack of good faith on the signing of the contract ?

Would it be of interest to the venture capital company that this is the case ?

I would appreciate any advice anyone could offer on this. I can provide additional info on the contract, which I know is poor..

Best wishes,

Saoir
 


HomeGuru

Senior Member
Saoir said:
California law.

I am in Europe, and my father (also here) who has very limited resources has sold the rights to use an astrological program he developed to a US company for use on the internet for a purchase price and an ongoing percentage of revenue. Date of sale: Sept 2002.

Purchase price involved three lump sum payments, amount A after 15 days, amount B after 60 days and amount C after 120 days. Percentages were to be paid months within five days of the end of the week.

Trouble is the only punishment I can see in the contract is going to arbitration, which is expensive and would last years.

Fine so far.

Problem:
-The company has paid nothing at all to date. It has recently received new venture capital money. But my father hasn't got the money to engage a lawyer to sue in California.

There is a "Representations, Warranties, Covenants and Conditions clause where the parties agree that all such will be true.

Question:
Is there any way that this contract could be considered null and void when the purchaser didn't even deliver the first payment after 15 days ? and has not made a single payment to date ? Is this some kind of lack of good faith on the signing of the contract ?

Would it be of interest to the venture capital company that this is the case ?

I would appreciate any advice anyone could offer on this. I can provide additional info on the contract, which I know is poor..

Best wishes,

Saoir
**A: is Europe a state of the US?
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Re: Re: Re: Sale of intellectual property

Saoir said:
Please explain this question... ?
**A: please explain why you deleted the question "What is the name of your state?" at the start of your post and why you failed to follow posting instructions stated in the red letters at the top of the page?
 
S

Saoir

Guest
Re: Re: Re: Re: Sale of intellectual property

HomeGuru said:
**A: please explain why you deleted the question "What is the name of your state?" at the start of your post and why you failed to follow posting instructions stated in the red letters at the top of the page?
My sincere apologies. This is my first visit to this forum. I didn't realise the text had to be left undeleted it, but did state clearly at the top that the State involved was California.
Have I failed in other aspect too ? Please accpet my apology and regret.

Saoir
 

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Sale of intellectual property

Saoir said:
My sincere apologies. This is my first visit to this forum. I didn't realise the text had to be left undeleted it, but did state clearly at the top that the State involved was California.

**A: wrong! You did not state clearly that the state involved was California. You typed in California law. You don't tell us what law is applicable. We tell you. You are supposed to follow directions. That is why the name of the state question is there.
**********
Have I failed in other aspect too ? Please accpet my apology and regret.

Saoir

**A: your apology is accepted and I regret that I can not help you further.
 
I

ipstudent

Guest
http://www.lcia-arbitration.com/lcia/

Here's a lead that may help. Get legal counsel now. You sold a trade secret. Both parties signed a CONTRACT WITH CONSIDERATION. The receiving party has failed to live up to their PROMISE. Given everything you stated is true and that is the whole story, this is a very straight forward case that will not last y e a r s.

good luck and keep us advised.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top