Contracts Flashcards
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Preliminary Issues)
- Governing Law
- Sale of Goods = Article 2 of UCC
- Definition of Goods
- All Other Contracts = General Common Law Majority View
- Mixed Contracts
- Sale of Goods = Article 2 of UCC
- Types
- Express v. Implied
- Express Contract
- Implied Contracts
- Implied in Fact
- Implied in Law = Quasi-Contract (Equitable Remedy)
- Unilateral v. Bilateral
- Bilateral Contracts = Exchange of Promises
- Bilateral Unless
- Reward, Prize or Contest, OR
- Offer Expressly Requires Performance for Acceptance
- Bilateral Unless
- Unilateral Contracts = Acceptance by Performance
- Notice of Acceptance Required
- Bilateral Contracts = Exchange of Promises
- Express v. Implied
Topics? (5)
(Formation)
- Requirements
- Offer
- Termination of Offer
- Acceptance
- Consideration
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Requirements)
- Mutual Assent
- Acceptance
- Offer
- Consideration
- No Defenses to Formation
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Offer)
- Intent to be Bound
- Reasonable Person Standard
- Advertisements = Invitation to Deal
- Exceptions
- Ad in Nature of Reward, OR
- Specific to Quantity & Who Can Accept
- Exceptions
- Definite & Certain Terms
- Essential Terms
- Requirements for Specific Types of Contracts
- Real Estate Transactions
- Sale of Goods
- No Price Requirement
- Output, Requirements, & Exclusivity Contracts
- Increase OK if Not Unreasonably Disproportionate
- Employment Contracts
- Permanent Employment
- Common Vague & Ambiguous Terms
- Communicated to the Offeree
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Termination of Offer)
- Lapse of Time
- Death or Incapacity of Either Party Prior to Acceptance
- Revocation
- Methods of Revocation = Unambiguous Words or Conduct of Unwillingness or Inability to Contract
- Offeree Must Have Notice & Notice Effective Upon Receipt
- Multiple Offers
- Irrevocable Offers
- Option Contracts Supported by Consideration
- Detrimental Reliance (Promissory Estoppel)
- Performance Commenced on Unilateral Contract
- UCC “Firm Offer” Rule
- Definition of Merchants
- Three Months Maximum
- Rejection
- Express Rejection
- Counteroffers = Always Terminate & Become New Offer
- Bargaining Has No Legal Effect
- Interrogative Statements
- Declarative Statements
- Bargaining Has No Legal Effect
- Conditional Acceptance = Terminates & Becomes New Offer
- Conditional Acceptance Language
- Supervening Illegality
Topics? (5)
(Formation: Acceptance)
- Requirements
- Only the Offeree Can Accept
- Additional Terms
- Mode of Acceptance
- Methods of Acceptance
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Acceptance: Requirements)
- Offeree with Knowledge of the Offer
- Unequivocal Terms of Acceptance
- Statement of Intention
- Communication of Acceptance
Exception?
(Formation: Acceptance: Only the Offeree Can Accept)
Exception: Option Contracts Supported by Consideration
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Acceptance: Additional Terms)
- Common Law = Mirror Image Rule
- UCC Exception
- Only One Party is a Merchant
- Both Parties are Merchants
- Offer Expressly Limits Acceptance to Terms of the Offer
- Material Alteration, OR
- Offerer Objects to the Change
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Acceptance: Mode of Acceptance)
- UCC Mode of Acceptance
- The Mailbox Rule = Acceptance Generally Effective Upon Dispatch
- Exceptions
- Offer Provides Otherwise
- Rejection Sent First, OR
- Option Contracts
- All Communications Other than Acceptance = Effective Upon Receipt
- Exceptions
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Acceptance: Methods of Acceptance)
- By Promising to Perform
- Bilateral Contracts = Yes
- Unilateral Contracts = No
- By Completing Performance = Acceptance Unless Failure to Give Notice
- Failure to Give Reasonably Prompt Notice
- Substandard or Improper Performance = Acceptance & Breach
- By Starting Performance
- Bilateral Contracts = Yes
- Unilateral Contracts = No But Makes Offer Temporarily Irrevocable
- By Shipment of Goods (UCC)
- Shipment of Nonconforming Goods = Acceptance & Breach
- Accomodation Exception = Counteroffer
- Shipment of Nonconforming Goods = Acceptance & Breach
- By Silence = Generally No Acceptance
Topics? (5)
(Formation: Consideration)
- Elements
- Adequacy of Consideration
- Past Consideration = Not Consideration
- Pre-existing Legal Duty
- Consideration Substitute
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Consideration: Elements)
- Bargained For
- Gifts
- Legal Detriment or Forbearance
- Performance
- Forbearance
- Promise to Perform
- Promise to Forbear
Exception Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Consideration: Adequacy of Consideration)
- Entirely Devoid of Value (aka Token Consideration) = Not Consideration, OR
- Illusory Promises
- Output, Requirements, & Exclusivity Contracts
- Exclusivity Implied in Requirements Contracts
- Output, Requirements, & Exclusivity Contracts
Exception?
(Formation: Consideration: Past Consideration = Not Consideration)
Promise to Pay for an Expressly Requested Act
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Consideration: Pre-existing Legal Duty)
- Common Law Contract Modification Rule
- Addition or Change in Performance
- Unforeseen Difficulty, OR
- Third Party Promise to Pay
- UCC Sale of Goods = No New Consideration Required
- Good Faith Requirement
- Part Payments on Debt
- Debt Due & Undisputed = Not Consideration for Settlement or Release
- Debt Not Yet Due or Disputed = Consideration for Settlement or Release
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Formation: Consideration: Consideration Substitute)
- Seal
- Written Promise to Satisfy a Legal Obligation Barred by Law
- Promissory Estoppel (aka Detrimental Reliance)
- Words of Promise
- Reliance
- Reasonable
- Detrimental
- Foreseeable
- Enforcement Necessary to Avoid Injustice
Topics? (9)
(Defenses)
- Void v. Voidable v. Unenforceable
- Lack of Consideration
- Lack of Capacity
- Statute of Frauds (SOF)
- Misrepresentation
- Mistake of Fact
- Mistake Due to Ambiguity
- Unconscionability
- Public Policy Detense of Illegality
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Defenses: Lack of Capacity)
- Who
- Minors (under 18)
- Mental Incompetents, OR
- Intoxicated Persons
- Consequence = Right to Disaffirm by Party without Capacity
- Implied Affirmation
- Quasi-Contract Liability for Necessaries
- Lack of Votional Consent
- Duress
- Economic Threats
- Undue Influence
- Duress
Topics? (3)
(Defenses: Statute of Frauds (SOF))
- Contracts Within the Statute of Frauds
- Satisfaction of the Statute of Frauds (Requirements)
- Other Statute of Frauds Bar Exam Issues
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Defenses: Statute of Frauds (SOF): Contracts Within the Statute of Frauds)
- Contracts Incapable of Being Performed within One Year
- Early Termination = Irrelevant
- Contracts That Require Performance on a Specific Date
- No Contracts for Specific Tasks
- No Lifetime Contracts
- Sale of Goods $500 or More
- Promise Made in Consideration of Marriage
- Alleged Promises of Marriage
- Guarantee to Pay Debts of Another
- Answer For = Guarantee
- Main Purpose Exception
- Executor Promises to Pay Estate Debts w/ Own Funds
- Transfers of Interests in Real Estate
- Exception = Leaseholds of One Year or Less
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Defenses: Statute of Frauds (SOF): Satisfaction of the Statute of Frauds (Requirements))
- By Writing
- Common Law
- All Material Terms
- Who
- What
- All Material Terms
- UCC Contracts
- Writing Sufficient to Indicate Contract for the Sale of Goods
- Quantity
- Signed by the Party Asserting the SOF Defense
- Exception: Both Parties Are Merchants = Confirmatory Memo Rule
- Common Law
- By Performance
- Performance & Services Contracts
- Full Performance = Yes
- Part Performance = No but Quasi-Contract
- Sale of Goods Contracts
- Part Performance by Seller of Ordinary Goods
- Delivered Goods = Yes
- Undelivered Goods = No
- Part Performance by Seller of Specialty Goods = Substantial Beginning
- Part Performance by Buyer
- Multiple Items = Yes to Extent of Payment Made
- Single Item = Yes & Agreement Legally Enforceable
- Part Performance by Seller of Ordinary Goods
- Sale of Land Contract
- Buyer Takes Possession
- Buyer Pays All or Part of the Purchase Price
- Buyer Makes Substantial Improvements to Land
- Performance & Services Contracts
- By Judicial Admission
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Defenses: Statute of Frauds (SOF): Other Statute of Frauds Bar Exam Issues)
- Equal Dignity Rule
- Contract Modifications
- Contract as Modified Within the SOF = Modification Must be in Writing
- Contract Expressly Prohibits Oral Modification or Requires Writing
- Common Law = Ignore Such Provisions
- UCC Contracts = Valid Unless Waiver
Structure?
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
- _
(Defenses: Misrepresentation)
- Fraud in the Inducement = Contract Voidable
- Fraudulent Misrepresentation = Voidable by Defrauded Party if Justifiable Reliance
- No General Duty to Disclose
- Affirmatively Hiding Material Facts = Fraudulent Misrepresentation
- Statute of Limitations
- No General Duty to Disclose
- Non-Fraudulent Misrepresentation = Voidable If Justifiable Reliance & Material
- Fraudulent Misrepresentation = Voidable by Defrauded Party if Justifiable Reliance
- Fraud in the Factum = Contract Void