The English Statute of Frauds was adopted in the year 1677. The purpose of the statute, as its name indicates, was to eliminate, as far as possible, frauds and perjuries. This purpose was sought to be accomplished by providing that certain important contracts and transactions should be reduced to, and evidenced by, writing, or evidenced by some other equally significant act or acts. In every jurisdiction of the United States, the Statute of Frauds has been adopted.

So far as the law of sales is concerned, we are here interested only in the seventeenth section. The seventeenth section in the English Statute is as follows: "No contract for the sale of any goods, wares, or merchandise, for the price of £10 sterling, or upwards, shall be allowed to be good, except the buyer shall accept parts of the goods so sold, and actually receive the same or give something in earnest to bind the bargain, or in part payment, or that some note or memorandum in writing of the said bargain be made and signed by the parties to be charged by such contract, or their agents thereunto lawfully authorized."

Statutes to this effect are in force in the following states and territories; if the contracts are for less than the amount stated, the contracts need not be in writing to be enforcible: Alaska ($50); Arizona ($500); Arkansas ($30); California ($200); Colorado ($50); Florida (of any amount); Georgia ($50); Idaho ($200); Indiana ($50); Indian Territory ($30); Iowa (of any amount); Maine ($30); Maryland ($50); Mississippi ($50); Missouri ($30); Montana ($200); Nebraska ($50); Nevada ($50); New Jersey ($500); New Hampshire ($33); New York ($50); North Dakota ($50); Ohio ($2500); Oklahoma ($50); Oregon ($50); Rhode Island ($500); South Carolina ($50); South Dakota ($50); Utah ($200); Vermont ($40); Washington ($50); Wisconsin ($50); Wyoming ($50). In the following states there is not at present any such law in force: Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.