Contemporary Business Law 8th Edition by Henry Cheeseman

Exercise 2

Licensing Statute The state of Hawaii requires a person who wants to practice architecture to meet certain educational requirements and to pass a written examination before being granted a license to practice. After receiving the license, an architect must pay an annual license fee of $15. Ben Lee Wilson satisfied the initial requirements and was granted an architecture license. Four years later, Wilson failed to renew his license by paying the required annual fee. Wilson contracted with Kealakekua Ranch, Ltd., and Gentry Hawaii (defendants) to provide architectural services for the Kealakekua Ranch Center project. Wilson provided $33,994 of architectural services to the defendants. The defendants refused to pay this fee because Wilson did not have an archi­tectural license. Wilson sued to collect his fees. Who wins? Wilson v. Kealakekua Ranch , Ltd., and Gentry Hawaii , 57 Haw. 124, 551 P.2d 525, Web 1976 Haw. Lexis 119 (Supreme Court of Hawaii)