Contracts Flashcards
Applicable Law: Common Law
- Services Contracts; and
2. Real Estate
Applicable Law: UCC
- Sale of Goods
Applies to both merchants and individuals
Applicable Law: Mixed Contracts - Primary Purpose
Is contract primarily for goods or services?
Applicable Law: Mixed Contracts - Divisibility
Divisibility
May apply Common Law or UCC to different aspects of a contract if contract can be broken up into mini deals
Contract Formation (3) OAC
- Offer
- Acceptance
- Consideration
Creating Legal Offer - (3) ObSV
- Objective Test - Reasonable person believe you intended to enter into a contract
- Directed at specific person
- Vest power of acceptance in offeree (say “I accept” and you gucci)
Specificity - Common Law
All essential terms must be in agreement
- Price
- Quantity
- Parties
- Duration
- Subject
Specificity - UCC
Only essential term:
- Quantity
Requirements Contract
Buyer does not know how much is required, but promises only to buy from you
- Quantity still satisfied; “all we need”
Output Contract
Seller does not now how much they will output, but promises only to see to you
- Quantity still satisfied; “all we will produce”
Methods of Revocation (6) RC RC DR
- Revoke
- Constructive Revocation
- Reject
- Counteroffer
- Death
- Reasonable Time
Requirements / Definition: Revocation
- Express communication to offeree of withdrawing offer
Requirements / Definition: Constructive Revocation
- When offeror does something that is absolutely inconsistent with continuing the ability to contract
Contract to buy house, but sells to someone else - without property, there is no more contract
Requirements / Definition: Rejection
- Express communication to offeror of rejecting offer
Requirements / Definition: Death
- Offeror dies before acceptance
Note: if valid contract formed before death, successors must honor obligations
Requirements / Definition: Reasonable Time
- Reasonable time passes, offer automatically is revoked
Revival
Offerors always have the discretion to revive dead offers
Irrevocable Offer Types (4) CLO, UCC, UC, DR
- Common Law Option
- UCC Firm Offer
- Unilateral Contract w/ partial performance
- Detrimental Reliance
Requirements / Definition: Common Law Option (3) OTC
- Offer to contract
- Time
- Consideration
Requirements / Definition: UCC Firm Offer (3) MST
- Both parties merchants
- Signed writing by offeror
- Time
Time not to exceed 3 months - to keep open further, must have consideration –> conversion to CL Option
Unilateral Contract w/ Partial Performance
Offer irrevocable once performance has begun
Detrimental Reliance / Promissory Estoppel
Offer irrevocable once counterparty has taken action to their detriment in reliance on the promise
Construction / Subcontractor bidding is clearest example
Acceptance - Test, Master
Objective Test
Offeror is Master of Acceptance - Offeree must comply
Unilateral Offer
Invites acceptance through performance
Bilateral Offer
Invites acceptance through promise
Ambiguous Offer
Either performance or promise will suffice
Definition / Requirements: Open to All Offer
- To collect on a reward, you must know about the reward
Definition / Requirements: Acceptance (1)
- Must be communicated to offeror
Mailbox Rule
- There is a binding contract once an Acceptance is sent
Mailbox Rule does not apply to: (4)
- Rejection, Counteroffer
- Revocation
- Option
- Fax, Email?
Mailbox Rule - Acceptance mailed first, then phone call rejecting
Acceptance controls
Mailbox Rule - Acceptance mailed first, mail lost
Acceptance controls
Mailbox Rule - Acceptance mailed first, Rejection then mailed
Acceptance controls, unless counterparty detrimentally relied on rejection
Mailbox Rule - Rejection mailed first, Acceptance mailed
Whatever is opened first controls
Acceptance by Silence - Permitted When (5)
- Unilateral reward (inefficient to communicate Acceptance)
- Geographic proximity (you can see them perform)
- Past history of Accepting through silence
- Acceptance by silence is specific and offeree intends to accept by silence
- Implied in Fact Contracts
Implied in Fact Contracts
Acceptance inferred through actions
Hanging around barbershop
Acceptance / Counteroffer - Common Law
Mirror Image Rule
Acceptance must match terms of the contract exactly
Non-conformity is considered counteroffer
Acceptance / Counteroffer - Common Law; Conditional Acceptance
At Common Law, constitutes counteroffer
Acceptance / Counteroffer - UCC
UCC 2-207; non-conforming acceptance may constitute acceptance
Not all non-conforming terms will control
UCC 2-207 (1) - Acceptance (3)
- Acceptance must be seasonable; reasonable time
- Cannot condition acceptance upon nonconforming terms
- Must be for the same contract (chainsaw vs hand saw)
UCC 2-207 (2) - Nonconforming Terms (4) MMEO
- Both parties merchants;
- New terms do not materially alter the deal;
- Initial offer does not expressly limit acceptance to its terms; and
- Offeror does not reject within reasonable time to new terms
UCC 2-207 (3) - No Contract
In case of no contract but parties continue on:
Only terms parties agreed to become part of the contract
Knockout Rule - Minority vs Majority
Minority Rule - Initial terms control
Majority Rule - Conflicting terms all knock out
UCC 2-207 - Confirming Memo; (4) Analysis
If there is a confirming memo with new terms, examine:
- Both parties merchants;
- New terms do not materially alter the deal;
- Initial offer does not expressly limit acceptance to its terms; and
- Offeror does not reject within reasonable time to new terms
Generally unlikely that the new terms control
Consideration / Bargained For Consideration
Parties exchange benefit or detriment
Not doing something you are legally entitled to do constitutes consideration
Gifts / Conditional Gifts - Consideration?
No
Adequacy of Consideration
Consideration must be nominal
Pretense does not suffice
Value matters - economics is not dispositive; as long as a party wants something, this constitutes nominal value
Illusory Promise
When performance is controlled exclusively at a party’s discretion
Unenforceable
Satisfaction Contracts
Contracts which state fulfillment upon a party’s satisfaction
Enforceable
Past Consideration - Consideration?
No
Promising not to Sue (2)
Constitutes consideration if:
- Plaintiff has good faith basis for the claim; or
- There is reason to doubt validity of the claim
Contract Modification - Common Law
Preexisting Duty Rule
A promise to do something you already promised to do does not constitute consideration
For modification, need new consideratoin
Contract Modification - Common Law - Exceptions (3)
- Change in performance;
- Third party promising to fulfill; or
- Unforeseen difficulties which excuse performance
Contract Modification - Common Law - Partial Debt Payment
Partial payment of debt to satisfy debt obligation is enforceable only if the debt is not currently due
Contract Modification - UCC
Requires only good faith
No consideration required
Promissory Estoppel / Reliance
Occurs when a party makes a promise and the other party takes an action in reliance of that promise
Definition / Requirements: Promissory Estoppel / Reliance (3) RDI
- A promise is made to reasonably induce reliance;
- Promisee takes detrimental action in reliance of that promise; and
- Injustice can only be avoided by enforcing promise
Definition / Requirements: Quasi-Contract (3) MPU
- Plaintiff confers measurable benefit on defendant;
- Plaintiff has reasonable expectation of compensation; and
- Unjust to to let defendant keep benefit without paying
Damages limited to fair value of benefit conferred
Moral Obligation + Subsequent Promise
Minority rule
You were saved and promised to pay for rescue - enforceable in minority jurisdictions
Seal
Has no binding force
Contract Defenses (7) MIMFDIU
- Misunderstanding
- Incapacity
- Mistake
- Fraud / Misrep / Nondisclosure
- Duress
- Illegality
- Unconscionability
Misunderstanding (3)
- Both parties use a material term that is open to two or more reasonable interpretations;
- Each side attaches a different meaning to the term; and
- Neither party knows or should know of the confusion
Incapacity (3) / Contract for Necessity
- Minors
- Mentally impaired
- Intoxicated
Incapacitated party may void
Contract for Necessity - pay fair value for necessities exchanged
Mistake
A belief not in accord with present fact
Mutual Mistake (3)
- There is a mistake of fact, existing at the time the deal is made;
- The mistake relates to the basic assumption of the contract and has a material impact on the deal; and
- The impacted party did not bear the risk of mistake
Unilateral Mistake (2.5)
May rescind if:
- Prove all elements of mutual mistake; and
2a. The mistake would make the contract unconscionable; or
2b. The other side knew of, or had reason to know of, or cause the mistake
Misrepresentation (3)
A statement that is untrue at the time of contracting
- Misrepresentation of present fact;
- That is material or intentional; and
- Made under circumstances in which it is justifiable to rely on the representation
Fraud
Intentional representation
Fraud in the Execution
Tricking someone to sign something that they did not know is a contract
Nondisclosure
Normally you do not need to disclose all material facts of a deal