AP Flashcards
An agent is a person or entity that acts on behalf of the principal.
Agency is a fiduciary relationship, and
exists if there is:
(1) assent
(2) benefit
AND (3) control
(HIGH)
Whether an agency relationship exists depends upon the
existence of the required elements above (the characterization
of the relationship by the parties is irrelevant). The parties
realizing that a principal-agent relationship is formed or the
agent receiving compensation is NOT REQUIRED to create
an agency relationship. A writing is NOT required to form
an
agency relationship (even if the transaction the agent enters
into requires a writing under the Statute of Frauds).
(HIGH)
An agency relationship terminates and the agent no longer has
authority to act if:
(a) the P or the A MANIFEST to
the other relationship is terminated;
(b) TERM of agent’s authority EXPIRED;
(c) (OP OF LAW) DEATH of the principal or agent;OR
(d) INCAPACITY of the principal or agent (OP OF LAW)
(except where a durable power of attorney exists).
(MEDIUM)
There are three types of agency relationships.
1) universal agent - broad authority to act on behalf of P + authorized to perform ALL acts the P is
allowed to perform.
2) general agent - authority
to conduct:
-series of transactions
-over a period of time
-for a particular purpose, business, or operation
(i.e. a manager of a restaurant).
3)special agent - limited authority to
conduct:
(a) a specific act/transaction;OR
(b) certain actions over a specified period of time
(MEDIUM)
Under the common law, an agent’s authority is
revoked upon death, regardless of whether the third
party has notice of the death. In some states,
the
authority is not revoked until the third party is notified
of the principal’s death.
(MEDIUM)
Apparent authority continues until the principal communicates
the termination to third parties (even if the agency relationship
was actually terminated). A principal may communicate
termination by
1) notifying third parties directly,
2) public announcement, or
3) recovering from agent any items
indicating authority.
(MED)
Termination of an Agency Contract: When an agency
relationship is governed by an agency contract
(i.e. employment agreement), the principal can
1) still terminate agent at any time.
***principal may be liable
for damages if the agency is terminated prior to the expiration
of the K
(unless the agent materially breached the contract).
(MED)
P is bound to K’s entered into by A if
the A has actual or apparent authority.
Actual authority may be express or implied.
Express authority occurs when
the P has explicitly told the agent (either orally or in writing) that he is entitled to act.
Implied authority occurs when either:
(a) the A believes entitled to
act bc the act is necessary to carry out express authorized duties;
(NECESSARY)
(b) the A has acted similarly in prior
dealings between P and A;
(PRIOR DEALINGS) OR
(c) customary for agents in that position to act in that way.
(CUSTOM)
(HIGH)
An agent has actual authority to act in accordance
with his reasonable understanding of his authority,
even if the principal later establishes that the agent was
mistaken. Silence or prior acquiescence by the principal may
give rise to the agent’s reasonable belief that he has authority
to perform similar acts in the future.
(HIGH)
If an agent acts within his scope of authority, the principal
will be liable to a third-party on the contract, even if
P is
1) undisclosed,
2) partially disclosed, or
3) unidentified.
(HIGH)
A P is bound to K’s entered into by A
if the agent has actual or apparent authority.
Apparent authority exists when:
(1) a third-party REASONABLY BELIEVES
that the person/entity has authority to act on behalf of the
principal; AND
(2) the belief is TRACEABLE to the principal’s manifestations
(the principal holds the agent out as having authority)
HIGH
A principal holds an agent out as having authority
when he:
(a) gives A position or title
indicating certain authority;
(POSITION/TITLE)
(b) previously held A out as having authority and has not published
a revocation of said authority;
(PRIOR ACT/NOT REVOKED)
OR
(c) cloaked the A with the appearance of such authority.
(ACTS AS IF)
HIGH
A P will be bound to a K even if A
1) acted on his own behalf or
2) in violation of specific instructions
UNLESS
(a) third party had notice A was
exceeding his authority,
(NOTICE) or
(b) the contract/transaction was
not within the ordinary usages of business (ordinary usage
includes purchase of goods at a reasonable price).
(ACT NOT WITHIN ORD BUSINESS)
AA NOT APPLICABLE if third-party
has actual knowledge that A did not have authority.
third-party has duty to make further inquiry when situation suggests that it may be unreasonable to believe A has authority
(UNREASONABLE= 3rd PARTY FURTHER INQUIRY)
HIGH
Unidentified/Partially Disclosed Principal: Apparent authority
MAY exist when the principal is
1) partially disclosed or
2) unidentified
(when the third-party knows the A is acting on behalf of a P but does not know identity).
HIGH
Undisclosed Principal: Apparent authority CANNOT exist
when there is an UNDISCLOSED PRINCIPAL (when
the third-party
does not know an agent is acting on behalf of a principal).
HIGH
Under the Restatement (Second) of Agency, the Inherent
Agency Power (also known as inherent authority) protects
third-parties in certain situations when dealing with agents
even if there is NO actual or apparent authority.\
MEDIUM
The Inherent Agency Power is derived solely from
the agency relation (it is not derived from actual
authority, apparent authority, or estoppel), and exists
for the protection of persons harmed by or dealing
with an agent.
MEDIUM
Inherent Agency Power falls into two groups:
The first group subjects an employer to liability when:
(1) A acts in furtherance of
employer’s business; AND
(2) A’s conduct harms a
third-party.
The second group subjects the principal to contractual
liability when:
(1) an agency relationship exists
between P & A; AND
(2) the A engages in acts that would normally be authorized,
but are not because he
(a) violated principal’s instructions or (b) acted in his own interests.
The concept of Inherent Agency Power was eliminated in the
Restatement (Third) of Agency.
MEDIUM
A principal’s ratification of an agent’s conduct will make the
principal liable for those contracts entered into by an agent
without authority. Ratification occurs when the principal:
(1) knowledge of material facts or K terms; AND
(2) manifests assent (approves)
through words or conduct.
MEDIUM
Despite ratification by the principal, an agent also
remains liable for any acts or contracts entered into if
the principal was
UNDISCLOSED TO THIRD PARTY.
MED
Under the Restatement (Second) of Agency, an undisclosed
principal generally CANNOT ratify an agent’s unauthorized
act because ratification requires that the agent
purported to act on the principal’s behalf.
However, under the Restatement
(Third) of Agency, an undisclosed principal MAY ratify an agent’s unauthorized act.
MEDIUM
Generally, an agent has NO contractual liability to a thirdparty for a contract entered into with that party if he:
(1) fully discloses the P AND
(2) the agent had
(a) actual authority or
(b) apparent authority (even
if no actual authority present).
an agent will be liable on the K if both elements above not met.
HIGH
An authorized A will be liable to the third-party on a K when P is undisclosed
An undisclosed principal’s ratification
DOES NOT eliminate the A’s liability to the third-party on the K
HIGH
Unless otherwise agreed, an authorized A will be liable to
the third-party on a K when the P is partially
disclosed or unidentified when the..
third-party knows the
agent is acting on behalf of a P but does not know the
identity
HIGH
Where an agent is
1) liable on a contract AND
2) his conduct was authorized, he may
seek IDEMNIFICATION from P on any payments he made to the third-party.
HIGH
An employer is vicariously liable for an employee’s negligent acts if the employee
1) was acting WITHIN the SCOPE
of employment.
However, a P/EMPLOYER is generally
NOT vicariously liable for the torts of an independent
contractor.
HIGH
An employee is an agent whom the employer ___ the manner and means of
the agent’s performance of work
controls
(or has the right to control)
HIGH
An independent contractor is a person who contracts
with another to do something for him, but ___ The contractor may
or may not be an agent.
who is not
controlled nor subject to the other’s right to control
with respect to his performance.
The determination of whether a person is an employee or an
independent contractor centers on whether the principal had
the right to control the manner and method in which the job
is performed.
HIGH