Chavez v. McNeely
Court of Appeals of Texas
287 S.W.3d 840 (2009)
After multiple marriages and divorces, Joe McNeely (plaintiff) became paralyzed in a horseback riding accident before his final divorce from Brenda Chavez (defendant). Their divorce settlement, memorialized in a consent decree, required Brenda to provide as much financial support as possible for Joe's needs, limited only by her own financial situation. Brenda paid Joe's mortgage, taxes, and insurance for years but stopped additional support when her business began failing. Joe sued for breach, and the trial court found Brenda could have paid $300,000 per year and awarded Joe $950,000 in damages. Brenda appealed, arguing the decree's terms were too indefinite to enforce.
Whether a contract is legally binding and enforceable only if its terms are sufficiently definite for a court to determine the parties' obligations.