Claudio is a skilled craftsman employed by the Goldcasters Jewelry to make handcrafted jewelry. Working after his normal working hours and using materials he paid for himself, Claudio crafts a fine ring by skillfully weaving together strands of gold wire. He presents the ring to his fiancée, Cheryl, as an engagement ring in anticipation of their forthcoming marriage. While visiting the restroom in a steak and ribs restaurant, Cheryl removes the ring so she can wash some barbeque sauce from her hands. In her haste to get back to her table, she leaves the ring on the washstand when she exits the restroom. Sandra, a part-time janitor for the restaurant, finds the ring and slips it into her purse. When Cheryl realizes she is missing the ring and returns to the restroom to look for it, neither the ring nor Sandra are still there. Later that evening Sandra sells the ring to her cousin, Gloria, who gives her $200 for it. Several days later, Cheryl breaks her engagement to Claudio, telling him that she no longer loves him. Claudio asks Cheryl to return the ring, indicating that he only intended for her to have it if their engagement led to marriage. This situation raises a number of questions concerning rights and interests in personal property that will be discussed in this chapter. They include:
Between Claudio and Goldcasters, who was the owner of the ring at the time Claudio created it?
Did Claudio make an effective gift of the ring to Cheryl? Or was it a conditional gift that he could revoke when Cheryl decided to call off the marriage?
What was Sandra's responsibility when she found the ring? Between Sandra and the restaurant, who had the better right to the ring?
Did Gloria become the owner of the ring when she paid the $200 to Sandra? Does Cheryl have the right to recover the ring from Gloria if she finds that Gloria has it?
Was it ethical for Claudio to use his employer's tools and facilities for a personal project?
