City of Everett v. Sumstad's Estate

In City of Everett v. Sumstad's Estate, 95 Wn.2d 853, 631 P.2d 366 (Wash. 1981), the buyers purchased a safe at an auction for $50. Id. at 367. They were told that the safe had a locked compartment and the auctioneer did not have the key. Id. at 368. After hiring a locksmith to open the compartment, the buyers found nearly $32,000. Id. at 367. The court, after examining each party's outward manifestations of intent, determined "that the parties mutually assented to enter into that sale of the safe and the contents of the locked compartment." Id. at 368.