Contracts Flashcards
What is a Contract?
An agreement between two parties that is enforceable in a court of law
What is an agreement?
An offer to the contract and an agreement to the contract.
Promises in the agreement (terms of the agreement)
Agreed on essential obligations to each other
What is Complete?
The agreement must be complete
What is Deliberate?
Both parties must want to enter into a contractual relationship.
Intention to create legal relations.
What is Voluntary?
Agreement must be freely chosen.
• No unfairness or coercion
What does it mean by Two or More Competent Persons? and what is the exception?
There must be two parties to any contract, who must have a legal capacity.
•PRIVITY – ONLY the parties to the contract can sue or be sued or enforce their rights and duties under the contract
Exception: Subrogation
What is Supported by Mutual Consideration
A contract involves a bargain or exchange between parties. One party must give something of value in exchange for receiving something in value from the other party.
What does it mean by Not Necessarily in writing?
Oral contracts are enforceable.
Preferable for negotiators to get the contract in writing.
What are the pre-contractual factors factors?
- Begin with communication such as discussing possibilities – negotiation stage
- ETHICAL QUESTION: is it ethical to bluff during business negotiations?
What is an offer? Who is the offeror and who is the offeree
A promise to enter a contract on specified terms as soon as the offer is accepted.
Offeror: Person who makes an offer
Offeree: Person whom an offer is made
What is Certainty of Offer?
Only a complete offer can form a basis of a contract.
All essential terms must be set out or contract will fail.
What is an Agreement?
Before a contract can be in place, parties must come to an agreement when they have reached a consensus to their rights and obligations.
What is invitation to treat?
Willingness to do business.
What is the standard form of contract? Give an example of what type of business this is.
Take it or leave it contract.
Customer agrees to a standard set of terms that favors the other side.
ex. borrowing money from the banks
Name 5 ways an offer can be terminated
Revocation
-Withdrawal from an offer (anytime before acceptance)
Lapse
-Expiration of an offer after a specified or reasonable period
Rejection
-Refusal to accept an offer
Counteroffer
-Rejection of one offer and proposal of a new one
Death or insanity
What is acceptance?
Unqualified willingness to enter a contract on terms of the offer.
Then a contract is formed
What is Communication of Acceptance?
Legal acceptance, the offeree must communicate by words or by conduct.
What is Consideration and gratuitous promise?
Consideration: The price paid for a promise.
Gratuitous Promise: a promise for which no consideration is given.
What is Pre-existing legal duty?
A legal obligation that a person already owes.
What is Promissory Estoppel?
A doctrine whereby someone who relies on a gratuitous promise may be able to enforce it.
What is Rebuttable Presumption?
Legal Presumption in the favor of one party that the other side can seek to rebut or dislodge by a lending evidence to the
assumption that is made in the law that will stand as a fact unless someone comes forward to contest it and prove otherwise.
What is an expressed term of a contract?
Provision in a contract that states or makes explicit one party’s promise to another.
What is an implied term of a contact?
A provision in a contract that is not expressly included, but is necessary to give effect to the parties’ intention.