Contract Law Flashcards
Thornton v Shoe Lane Parking
an offer can be through notice or machine.
Gibson v Manchester
an offer must be in definite terms.
Bilateral Contract
Made by the offeror in return for a promise from the offeree.
Unilateral Contract
Made by the offeror in exchange for an act from the offeree with no obligation for the offeree to act.
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball
a rewards poster can be a unilateral contract.
Patridge v Crittenden
advertisements are invitations to treat.
Fisher v Bell
goods in a window are invitations, and are not legally binding.
Boots Chemist
the purchaser is the offeror when presenting goods at a checkout.
British Car Auctions v Wright
lots at an auction are invitations to treat,
Harvey v Facey
requests for more information is not an offer, e.g. asking the price or ways to pay.
Taylor v Laird
offers must be communicated, the offeree must know it exists.
Stevenson v Mclean
an offer can have a specified time limit.
Rejection
An offer cannot be accepted after rejection.
Hyde v Wrench
a counter offer is rejection for the previous offer, the original is no longer valid.
Lapse of time
After the offer has expired, it doesn’t exist.
Ramsgate Hotel v Montefiore
acceptance must be in a reasonable time.
Death
If an offeree dies, the offer ends.
If an offeror dies the offer is open until the offeree learns of their death.
If it is for a service, it can’t be accepted if either dies.
Revocation
taking the offer back
Routledge
revocation can be any time prior to acceptance.
Byrne
rev must be communicated to be effective.
Dickinson v Dodds
revocation can be made by a reliable third party.
Brimnes
revocation is subject to usual business hours.
Acceptance
After acceptance, there is an agreement.
It must be positive, unequivocal and communicated.
Felthouse
acceptance cannot be by silence
Yates
when particular forms are required then, unless no other will suffice, it must be no less advantageous.
Postal Rules
Adams v Lindsell:
When the post is the usual way to communicate.
Letters must: be properly addressed and stamped with concrete proof of postage.
When fulfilled, acceptance has occurred after postage.
Enfores v Miles Far East
postal rules do not apply to instantaneous methods of communication.
Brinkibon v Stahag Stahl
instant communication takes effect when it is received, subject to business practices.
Carlill v Carbolic Smoke Ball Co - acceptance
acceptance can be by conduct.
Reveille v Anotech International
performance without written acceptance will be acceptance.
Intention to create legal relations
There must be intention to create legal relations to make a contract legally binding and enforceable.
domestic or social
Jones v Padayatton: no intent for legal relations.
Balfour v Balfour
Merritt v Merritt
no intent between those who are married; but there is if made after the divorce
Simpkins v Pays
Parker v Clarke
The circumstances will be assessed.
If one party has given up their security, there is intent to create legal relations.
business agreements
Esso v CCE: there is intent that can be rebutted.
McGowan v Radio Buxton
promotional offers have intent e.g. competitions
Kleinwort
intent can be rebutted when the contract is not clear enough to amount to a specific promise.
ambiguous circumstance
Sadler v Reynolds
halfway house: business and domestic
consideration
What is exchanged (loss/benefit) in a contract.
Rule 1
C need not be adequate but must be sufficient.
definitive and real, not be intangible
Chappell v Nestle
c must be acceptable, not equal.
White v Bluet
a promise not to do something is not good c.
Ward v Blytham
a promise to do something is good c.
Rule 2
Past consideration is not good consideration
Re McArdle
c must be present or future, not past.
Lampleigh
if a party promises payment, courts can enforce it.
Rule 3
c must move from the promise
Tweddle v Atkinson
3: must be party to the contract for c to move from them and for courts to enforce it.
Rule 4
performing an existing duty cannot be c for a new contract
Collins v Godfrey
rule 4 + Public duty, not enforceable if the duty already exists
Stilk v Myrick
not enforceable to pay employees extra if they are doing what is expected under an existing contract.
Hartley
going above and beyond an existing contract, when dangerous; employees entitled to extra pay.