Citation(s) (1875) 19 Eq 462 | Location United Kingdom | |
Court Court of Appeal of England and Wales | ||
Printing and Numerical Registering Co v Sampson (1875) 19 Eq 462 is an English contract law and patent case. It is most notable for strong advocacy of the principle of freedom of contract put forward by Sir George Jessel MR. The strict principles expressed were mostly abandoned over the 20th century, as summarised by Lord Denning MR in George Mitchell (Chesterhall) Ltd v Finney Lock Seeds Ltd.
Contents
Facts
- The Printing and Numerical Registering Company initiated legal action against Sampson for violating a patent agreement. Sampson, along with other shareholders, had previously agreed to sell "all future patent rights" to the company. However, Sampson utilized the patented information for his own business pursuits. In response to the lawsuit, Sampson contended that the agreement should be declared null and void, arguing that its duration was excessively long and, therefore, contrary to public policy.
Judgment
Sir George Jessel MR held that the contract was valid and remarked,
References
Printing and Numerical Registering Co v Sampson Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA