Shoptaw v. Puterbaugh

Darrell Hickman, Justice.

This is an appeal of a decision in the Dallas County Chancery Court regarding a contract to sell a little over two acres of land.

The appellants had signed an offer and acceptance to buy this land from the appellees. After attempting to use the land for a ready-mix concrete operation, the appellants decided that the tract was unsatisfactory because the ground was too soft. The appellants had paid earnest money of $6,-500.00 to the appellees, according to the agreement, and the chancellor decided that the money would be forfeited as liquidated damages. The appellees…