United States First Circuit

If only one reading of a contract makes sense, because the proposed alternate reading would result in an obvious hardship that a reasonable person would not have agreed to, then to find otherwise would be absurd, absent crystal clear contract language or independent extrinsic evidence of intent.

Appellate Information

• Decided 09/27/2001
• Published 09/27/2001

Judges

• BOUDIN, Chief Judge., Before BOUDIN, Chief Judge, GIBSON, Senior Circuit Judge, and TORRUELLA, Circuit Judge.

Court

• United States First Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• H. Jerome Strickland with whom Robert C. Norman, Jones, Cork & Miller, Benjamin V. White and Vetter & White were on brief for appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Michael P. DeFanti with whom Brian C. Newberry and Hinckley, Allen & Snyder LLP were on brief for appellee.