Business Law- Genuine Agreement and Contractual Capacity Flashcards

1
Q

Genuine Agreement

A

-When the offeror makes a valid offer and the offeree has made a valid acceptance

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2
Q

How do courts decide a Genuine Agreement?

A

-Meeting of the Minds

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3
Q

What are the 5 circumstances that destroy genuine agreement?

A
  1. Fraud
  2. Innocent Misrepresentation
  3. Mistake
  4. Duress
  5. Undue Influence
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4
Q

Fraud

A

-A deliberate deception intended to secure an unfair or unlawful gain

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5
Q

The 5 Elements of Fraud

A
  1. A false representation of fact
  2. Knowledge of the falsity
  3. Intent to deceive
  4. Reasonable reliance by the innocent party
  5. An actual loss suffered by the innocent party
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6
Q

False representation of fact

A

-A false representation of a material existing fact

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7
Q

Material Fact

A

-One that is important and matters to one of the parties

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8
Q

Concealment/Passive Fraud

A

-Choosing not to reveal important information
-Seller must only disclose latent defects that cannot be seen

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9
Q

False representation of fact: Fiduciary Relationship

A

-The two parties are in a relationship of trust, there is a duty to disclose material facts

Ex. Doctor and patient, attorney and client

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10
Q

Sales puffery

A

A seller is allowed to make an overstated belief about their product in order to sell it

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11
Q

Elements of Fraud: Representation known to be false

A

-The bad party must be aware that the statement they made was false

-SHOWN BY
-Proving actual knowledge
-Showing the statement was made recklessly

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12
Q

False Representation Intended to be Relied Upon

A

-To prove fraud, the bad party must intend that the good party will rely on the information as part of the contracts negotiations

-Must be reasonably relied upon by the other party

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13
Q

Actual/Resulting Loss

A

-The innocent party must show monetary loss in order to prove fraud

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14
Q

Remedies for fraud

A

-Rescind/cancel the contract
-Sue for monetary damages

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15
Q

Innocent Misrepresentation

A

-The act of making an innocent statement that turns out to be false, when the person honestly believed the statement was true

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16
Q

Remedy for Innocent Misrepresentation

A

-The right to rescind the contract
-You may not win damages

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17
Q

Mistake

A

-Sometimes people enter into contracts believing that certain information is true when it is not

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18
Q

Unilateral Mistake

A

-An error on the part of one of the parties to the contract
-A person cannot avoid a contract because of such a mistake

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19
Q

Two types of unilateral mistakes

A

-Mistake as to the Nature of the Agreement
-Mistake as to the Identity of the Party

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20
Q

-Mistake as to the Nature of the Agreement

A

-People who sign an agreement are bound to it even if they have not read it/ are mistaken about its contents

Remedy: NO RECISSION

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21
Q

Mistake as to the identity of the party

A

If you make an offer by letter to one party, but the wrong person mistakenly receives the offer, the mistake may be cause to void the contract

Remedy: Rescission may be granted

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22
Q

Bilateral Mistake

A

-When both parties to a contract are mistaken about some important fact
-Either party may avoid the contract

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23
Q

Two types of bilateral mistakes

A

-Mistake as to the Possibility of Performance
-Mistake as to the Subject Matter

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24
Q

-Mistake as to the Possibility of Performance

A

-If both parties enter into a contract believing that the duties described can be performed when they actually cannot, either party may avoid the contract

Remedy: Rescission may be granted to either party

25
Q

-Mistake as to the Subject Matter

A

When both parties make a mistake regarding the subject matter of the contract

Ex. Title, quantity, quality, price, identity mistakes

RESCISSION MAY BE GRANTED

26
Q

5 elements of Fraud: Duress

A

-The overcoming of a person’s will by use of force/threat/bodily harm

27
Q

3 types of Duress

A
  1. Physical Duress
  2. Emotional Duress
  3. Economic Duress
28
Q

Physical Duress

A

-When actual physical violence is used to force someone to enter a contract

Remedy: Contract is void

29
Q

Emotional duress

A

-When the threat of physical force is used to force a person to enter a contract

Remedy: Contract is voidable

30
Q

Economic duress

A

-Threats to a person’s business/reputation that cause him/her to enter a contract without one’s consent

Remedy: Contract is voidable

31
Q

5 elements of Fraud: Undue Influence

A

-When a person uses unfair and improper persuasive pressure to force another person to enter an agreement

-Old age/mental immaturity may put someone in a weaker position

KEY FACTOR: ONE IS NOT EXERCISING FREE WILL

Remedy: contract is voidable

32
Q

Contractual capacity

A

The legal ability to enter into a contractual relationship
-People who enter into contracts are permitted by law to presume that the other party has capacity to contract (REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION)

33
Q

Minors Rights

A

-The presumption of capacity plays a key role in contracts made by minors
-Law permits minors to rescind/void contracts

34
Q

Age of majority

A

-Also known as age of legal adulthood
-A person not of legal age is still in minority

35
Q

Emancipation

A

-Minors who are not under the control of their parents have been emancipated
-Means they are responsible for their contracts

36
Q

Abandonment

A

-A minor who marries or leaves home:
-Gives up all rights to parental support
-Is considered emancipated
-Abandoned the protection afforded him/her as a minor

37
Q

Why does the law shield minors in contract law?

A

-To protect vulnerable individuals from dishonest adults

38
Q

Reasons why minors may be vulnerable in a contract

A

-Immaturity
-Inexperience
-Lack of education
-Naivete lack of judgement

39
Q

Disaffirmance

A

the legal avoidance/setting aside of a contractual obligation

40
Q

Requirements of a voidable contract

A

-Must be disaffirmed through words/contracts
-Must disaffirm ENTIRE CONTRACT
-Must return merchandise
-Minors can be held responsible for damage/wear of goods

41
Q

When two minors enter into a contract with each other, both parties have the right to…

A

Disaffirm the contract

42
Q

Exceptions to a minors right to disaffirm

A

-Some contracts such as marriage contracts cannot be avoided as a matter of law on the ground of public policy
-Misrepresentation of age= fraud
-Minors will be held responsible for a wrongful act
-Minor is held responsible for the fair value of necessaries

43
Q

Ratification of Minors Contracts

A

-After reaching the age of majority a person can ratify contracts made during minority

44
Q

Ratification

A

The acceptance of an agreement that gives legal force to an obligation that was previously not enforceable

45
Q

Express ratification of a contract involving a minor

A

-When the individual, on reaching the age of majoirty, states that they intent to be bound by the contract

46
Q

Implied ratification of a contract involving a minor

A

-When the minor reaches the age of majoirty and behaves in a manner inconsistent with disaffirmance

47
Q

Time frame ratification with a minor

A

-If a minor fails to disaffirm a contract within a reasonable time after reaching majority age, then a court must determine whether the conduct constitutes implied ratification or disaffirmance

48
Q

Contracts that are executed is…

A

ratified

49
Q

Contracts that are still executory are..

A

disaffirmed

50
Q

Parents Liability

A

-As a general rule parents are not liable for the contracts made by minor children acting on their own

51
Q

Exceptions to parents liability

A

-Contracts for necessaries which the parents are legally required to provide
-Parents become obligated to perform the conditions of the contract even if the minor avoids liability

52
Q

Why do Mentally Impaired Persons have the right to disaffirm contracts?

A

-They are considered unable to make sound judgements

53
Q

Before a guardian is appointed by court to look after the affairs of a mentally impaired person, his/her contracts are….

A

VOIDABLE

54
Q

If a court has previously determined that a person is mentally incompetent and has a appointed a guardian, any contract made by that person is…

A

VOID

55
Q

Contracts made by a court appointed guardian are..

A

VALID

56
Q

Intoxicated persons

A

-Intoxicated people are sometimes able to disaffirm the contracts they enter into when they are intoxicated
-They must have been so intoxicated that they did not understand the purpose, nature, or effect of the transaction

57
Q

Capacity limitations: Convicts

A

People convicted of a crime

58
Q

Capacity limitations: Aliens

A

-People who are living in this country but owe their allegiance to another country

59
Q

Capacity limitations: Enemy Aliens

A

-Certain foreign-born persons designated as such during time of war