Contracts Flashcards
Seven General Areas
- Applicable Law
- Formation of Contracts
- Terms of Contract
- Performance
- Remedies for unexcused nonperformance
- Excuse of nonperformance
- Third-party problems
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Unilateral Contract
Results from an offer that expressly requires performance as the only possible method of acceptance
Acceptance is at the time the performance is done.
Bilateral Contract
All other offers. (will be on exam)
Usually offer is silent as to method of acceptance.
Bilateral Unless what?
- Reward, prize, contest
2. offer expressly requires performance for acceptance
Quasi Contract
Equitable Remedy
**When contract law amounts to unfairness.
What parts of the law are we responsible for?
- Common law
2. UCC articles 1 and 2
Common Law
General Rules Only
Articles 1 and 2
Article 1, common law contracts applies to sale of goods UNLESS displaced by particular provisions.
Article 2 applies to contracts that are primarily for sale of goods.
What to look for?
- type of transaction
- subject matter of transaction (goods, tangible, personal property)
**No revised article 2
Applicable Law Review on Topics
- Real estate - Common Law
- Services Contract - Common Law
- Sale of Goods - UCC 2
What about mixed deals? What is the test?
General Rule: All of nothing/ depends on the more important part.
Exception: if contract divides payment, then apply UCC to sale of goods party and common law to the rest.
Article 2A of the UCC
Applies to leases of goods.
Not leases of land.
NOT ON EXAM PROBABLY.
Definition of A contract
An agreement that is legally enforceable.
Two possible questions?
Look first for an agreement.
Second, determine whether the agreement is legally enforceable.
Overview of Agreement Process on Bar
In looking for an agreement, what for:
- The initial communication (offer)
- What happens after the initial communication (termination of the offer?)
- Who responds and how she responds (acceptance)
**The question will ask about one of these time stages.
Offer
One person’s (offeror) MANIFESTATION of willingness to contract.
Focus on what was understood. Not what was intended.
**look for words of commitment by that person.
Problems to look for an Offer
- Content
2. Context
Problems in Content for an Offer
- Missing price terms in sales contract.
- Sale of real estate - price and description required
- Sale of goods - no price requirement
- Vague or ambiguous material terms not an offer under either common law or UCC
- Appropriate, fair, reasonable (LOOK FOR THESE WORDS) THEY ARE VAGUE - Requirement Contracts/ Output Contracts:
- A contract for the sale of goods can state the quantity of goods to be delivered under the contract in terms of the buyer’s requirements or seller’s output.
Requirement or Output contracts
Not vague or ambiguous and are valid.
Requirement: Buyer commits to buying to X
Output: Seller commits to selling to X
What about increase of requirements?
Buyer can increase requirements so long as the increase is in line with prior demands.
TEST:
No “unreasonable disproportionate” limitation on increases.
Unreasonable disproportionate - 3x as much. Just compare.
Problems in Context for an Offer
General Rule: An advertisement or price quotation is NOT on offer.
Exceptions to the General Rule of Context.
- An advertisement can be a unilateral offer if it is in the nature of a reward.
- An advertisement can be an offer if it specifies quantity and expressly indicates who can accept.
- Price quotation can be an offer if sent in response to an inquiry.
Second Possible Agreement Issue: Was the offer terminated? Methods of Termination
- Lapse of time
- Death of a party prior to acceptance
- Words or conduct of offeror - revocation
- Words or conduct of the offeree - rejection. (indirect rejects
Lapse of Time
Time is state or reasonable time has lapsed.
Look for the facts of dates. Going to be about a lapse of an offer.
Death of a Party Prior to Acceptance
General Rule: Death or incapacity of either party after the offer, but before acceptance, terminates offer.
Exception: Irrevocable offers
Offeror Revocation
Two ways:
1. Later unambiguous statement by offeror to offeree of unwillingness or inability to contract.
OR
- Later unambiguous conduct by offeror indicating an unwillingness or inability to contract that offeree is aware of.
- *This is a two party case. There must be both parties present.
- *Unambiguous change of mind by the offeror.