A, a 1L, is studying in her law school library with nothing but her laptop computer. She gets up to go to the bathroom, closing and leaving her laptop on the table at which she was studying. While A is in the bathroom, B, a fellow law student, walks by the table and sees A's laptop, which B falsely but sincerely believes to be the one he left in the library last night at the very same table. B has already bought a replacement, but he figures he can sell what he believes to be his old one to recover some of the cost. He picks it up, takes it outside, and ponders how he will go about selling it. However, he notices the outer shell is cracked, so he immediately takes the laptop to Zeke's Computer Sales & Repair to get it fixed.
Right after B drops off the laptop at Zeke's, C, another fellow law student, walks in looking for a laptop computer. He spots the laptop B just brought in and tells Zeke, the storeowner, that he wants to buy it. Zeke tells him the outer shell is cracked, but C doesn't care; he tells Zeke he wants to buy it “as is.” Zeke shrugs his shoulders and offers to sell it for $300. C agrees, produces the money, and the deal is done.
Following the purchase, C then goes into the law school library, sits at the table A had originally occupied, and begins studying with the laptop he just purchased. It turns out A got distracted by an unusually long cell phone call and has not been back to the table since she went to the bathroom. When she returns and sees C using the laptop, she tells him to give it to her. C refuses and says he owns it. At that moment B walks in, sees the laptop in front of C, and also demands its return. A looks at B in disbelief, and C is confused by both of them.
Analyze any and all relevant property interests held by A, B and C, and discuss.
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