Kreutzer v. Monterey County Herald Co.

OPINION OF THE COURT

FLAHERTY, Chief Justice.

The issue in this case is whether written contracts which allow either party to terminate the contract at will are subject to a claim of equitable estoppel, the essence of which is that the words or conduct of the terminating party preclude that party from using the written contract to deny the other party’s claim of detrimental reliance and damages.

In 1996, appellees, former distributors of The Pittsburgh Press newspaper, sued the Monterey County Herald Company, formerly The Pittsburgh Press, for breach of contract, estoppel, unjust enrichment, and…