Robert and Helen Clanton entered into a 10-year lease with Emerson for shopping center space. The lease had a renewal option for another ten years. The lease was amended in 1988 and again in 1989. The last amendment granted Clanton the option to extend for five-year periods and gave them a first right of refusal if the property were sold. Shaver (P) was Emerson’s daughter and sole heir. After her father died, she challenged the validity of the amendments. The 1989 amendment was held invalid because the options renewals went into infinity and because the renewal part was an integral part of the lease agreement the entire amendment was invalid.

This section contains the nature of the case and procedural background.

The legal issues presented in this case will be displayed here.

The court's holding and decision will be displayed here.

Legal analysis from Dean's Law Dictionary will be displayed here.