Rooney v. Tyson

By its ruling, the majority heralds a new era in interpreting oral promises of potentially long-term employment. Because I believe the majority’s conclusion is contrary to precedent, policy and practice, I dissent.

The following facts from the certification by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit provide a contextual backdrop for the ensuing legal analysis. Plaintiff Kevin Rooney claims that, pursuant to an oral contract in 1982 between himself and Cus D’Amato, legal guardian and manager of defendant Michael Gerard Tyson, then a minor, he was to train Tyson until Tyson…