Leboire v. Royce

These three consolidated actions involve a controversy between joint venturers, Hyman-Michaels Company on the one side and Ken F. Boyce and Ken Boyce, Inc., on the other, over commissions paid by Boyce to one Leon Leboire, and over attorney’s fees paid by Boyce in defending certain actions brought by Leboire against him. The basic contention of Boyce is that these expenses were covered by the joint venture agreements executed by the parties.

The background facts are as follows: In 1947 Boyce became interested in the purchase of war surplus construction machinery in the Pacific Ocean area. In…