CONTRACTS Flashcards
The doctrine of anticipatory repudiation applies to:
Only bilateral contracts with executory duties on both sides
A prospective inability or unwillingness to perform occurs when
one party has reasonable grounds to believe that the other party will be unable or unwilling to perform when performance is due. An example of this would be when a buyer declares bankruptcy prior to the time set for performance of the contract
In some cases, the condition of complete performance may be excused if a party has rendered
Substantial performance
At common law, ______________ will excuse a contract condition.
An estoppel waiver
Courts will find binding estoppel waiver when
Whenever a party indicates that he is waiving a condition before it is to happen and the person addressed detrimentally relies on the waiver, courts will find a binding estoppel waiver.
A condition precedent
is one that must occur before the duty of performance will arise
A condition subsequent
will cut off an already existing duty of performance
The failure of a condition:
Discharges the liability of the promisor whose obligations on the conditional promise never mature
When a party having the benefit of an ancillary condition under a contract indicates by words or conduct (and without receiving any additional consideration) that she will not insist on that condition being met, this is called __________.
Waiver
Can a repudiating party retract his anticipatory repudiation before his performance is due?
Yes, unless the other party has materially changed her position in reliance on the repudiation.
A promise
binds a party to perform under a contract
a condition
creates or extinguishes a duty to perform under the contract.
In the case of an anticipatory repudiation, the nonrepudiating party __________.
may sue immediately or wait until the date performance is due to sue. Can also suspend his own performance at any point.
So long as the time for performance has not yet passed, a repudiating party may withdraw his repudiation __________.
unless the other party has indicated that she considers the repudiation final
What is a “constructive” condition?
A condition that is implied by a court even though it is not explicitly stated in the contract
The failure of a condition:
Discharges the liability of the promisor whose obligations on the conditional promise never mature
When a party indicates that she is “waiving” a condition before it is to happen, and the person addressed detrimentally relies on the waiver, a court will hold this to be __________.
An estoppel waiver
An anticipatory repudiation __________.
Must be unequivocal
Material breach, waiver, or substantial performance are all:
things that would legally excuse a condition.
A condition that must occur before an absolute duty of immediate performance arises in the other party is a __________.
condition precedent
Nonfulfillment of a condition __________.
will excuse a duty to perform that was subject to the condition. (no breach of contract yet).
A court will apply the doctrine of “substantial performance” to excuse the condition of complete performance in the case of:
A constructive condition and a minor breach
A condition read into a contract by the court is also known as:
a constructive conditon. (an implied condition).
Anticipatory repudiation occurs when:
A party to a contract, prior to the time set for performance, indicates that he will not perform when performance is due
The nonrepudiating party can demand assurances when
- a repudiating party seeks to withdraw repudiation
- prospective unwillingness or inability to perform
NOT: anticipatory repudiation–a.r. is an unequivocal indication that the repudiating party will not perform when the time comes, demanding assurances would be fruitless.
If, prior to the time set for performance, the promisor indicates that he will not perform when the time comes, this is known as:
anticipatory repudiation
In the case of an anticipatory repudiation, the nonrepudiating party __________.
may sue immediately or wait until the date performance is due to sue
In a case of anticipatory repudiation, how long does the repudiating party have to retract the repudiation?
Until performance is due, unless the other party has materially changed position in reliance on the repudiation
Does a minor breach of contract excuse a condition at common law?
No, a minor breach may suspend a duty, but not excuse it.
At common law, which of the following would legally excuse a condition?
material breach, waiver, or substantial performance.
Under Article 2 of the U.C.C., a buyer cannot reject a shipment of nonconforming goods if:
The nonconforming shipment is part of an installment contract and the defect can be cured
UCC Article 2 Perfect Tender Rule
If the goods fail to conform to the contract in any way, the buyer generally may reject tender.
EXCEPTION: a defective shipment in an installment contract cannot be rejected if the defect can be cured.
In an installment contract situation, an installment can be rejected by the buyer __________.
if there is a nonconformity that substantially impairs the value of that installment and cannot be cured
In __________, timely performance as agreed is important, and any unjustified delay is material.
Mercantile contracts
After rejecting goods in her physical possession, a buyer has an obligation to hold them with reasonable care at the seller’s disposition for a time sufficient to permit the seller to remove them; thus, the buyer should not
destroy the goods.
Under the U.C.C., in the case of a single delivery contract, if the buyer finds that the goods are defective at the time of delivery:
The buyer can reject the goods, but the seller then has a right to cure within the original time for performance of the contract
After a buyer rejects a tender of nonconforming goods, the seller has a right to cure beyond the original contract time:
if the seller reasonably believed that the nonconforming goods would be acceptable to the buyer with or without a money allowance.
In a destination contract, the seller must:
Tender delivery of the goods at a particular destination
As a general rule, delay in performance in __________ contract is more likely to be deemed a material breach than delay in performance in __________ contract.
A mercantile; a land
Unless the contract provides otherwise, in a destination contract, payment is due __________.
When the goods reach their destination
Under Article 2, unless the contract provides otherwise, a buyer has a right to inspect the goods __________.
at the buyer’s own expense before she pays for the goods
Under an Article 2 shipment contract, when the parties have agreed that a carrier will be used to move the goods, the seller has an obligation to:
- put the goods into the hands of a reasonable carrier and make a reasonable contract for their transportation.
- obtain and promptly tender any documents required by the contract or usage of trade or otherwise necessary to enable the buyer to take possession
- promptly notify the buyer of the shipment.
When a seller has agreed to tender goods at a particular location, this is also known as a:
Destination contract
A breach of contract where the obligee gains the substantial benefit of her bargain despite the obligor’s defective performance is commonly known as:
a minor breach
Under Article 2, a buyer’s right to reject is cut off by __________.
Acceptance of the goods, even if the goods are nonconforming
In an installment contract situation, the contract can be canceled by the buyer if:
There is a nonconformity in a shipment that substantially impairs the value of the contract and cannot be cured
(installment can be rejected if the nonconformity
When should the nonbreaching party treat an otherwise minor breach as a material breach?
When the breach is coupled with an anticipatory repudiation
Under U.C.C. Article 2, unless the contract provides otherwise, any expenses for inspection of the goods sold will be borne by:
The buyer, but may be recovered from the seller if the goods do not conform and are rejected
Unless the contract provides otherwise, in a noncarrier case, payment is due __________.
In cash upon tender of delivery
A noncarrier case is
one in which it appears that the parties did not intend that the goods be moved by carrier
A destination contract __________.
requires the seller to tender the goods to the buyer at a particular destination
Under the U.C.C., in a single delivery contract, a seller may always cure a shipment that the buyer has rejected because of defects by delivering conforming goods within:
The time originally provided for performance
Under U.C.C. Article 2, unless the contract provides otherwise, any expenses for inspection of the goods sold will be borne by:
The buyer, but may be recovered from the seller if the goods do not conform and are rejected
Under the U.C.C., in a single delivery contract, if a seller delivers nonconforming goods to the buyer under the mistaken, but reasonable, belief that the goods would be acceptable to the buyer, and the buyer rejects the goods, the best characterization of the time the seller has to cure is:
Within a reasonable time beyond the time originally provided for performance
A buyer orders 600 widgets to be delivered on the 10th of each month in lots of 100. The second month’s shipment arrived on the 8th of the month and contains only 95 widgets.
The buyer ____________________.
Cannot reject the shipment. Under an isntallment contract, the buyer cannot reject the installment unless she can show that the shortfall substantially impairs the the value of the installment and cannot be cured. Quantity can always be cured. Here, there are 2 days left to perform.
In a noncarrier case, for proper tender of delivery, the seller must:
Put and hold the goods at the buyer’s disposition for a time sufficient for the buyer to take possession and give the buyer reasonable notice to enable the buyer to take possession of the goods
What is the buyer’s right of rejection under Article 2 of the UCC for a defective shipment?
A buyer can always reject a defective shipment in a single delivery contract but cannot reject a defective shipment in an installment contract if the defect can be cured
Under the U.C.C., what is required to cure a defective delivery in a single delivery contract?
Reasonable notice of the intention to cure and a new tender of delivery of conforming goods within the time for performance
In a shipment contract, the price is due when
the goods are put in the hands of the carrier
In a destination contract, the price is due when
the goods reach the named destination.
In a single delivery contract, when a buyer rejects goods due to defects, the seller may cure within the time originally provided for performance in the contract:
by giving reasonable notice to the buyer and making a new tender of conforming goods, which the buyer must then accept.
The U.C.C. gives a seller the right to cure a defective shipment within a reasonable time beyond the original time for performance in the contract if:
Prior dealings with the buyer led the seller to reasonably believe that the defective shipment would be acceptable
If a seller gives no instructions within a reasonable time after notification of rejection, the buyer may _________________ the goods.
Reship, store, or resell. (no destroying).
In a single delivery contract, when a buyer rejects goods due to defects, the seller may cure within the time originally provided for performance in the contract:
by giving reasonable notice to the buyer and making a new tender of conforming goods, which the buyer must then accept.
A unilateral contract
results from an offer that expressly requires performance as the
only possible method of acceptance
Under the UCC, the firm offer rule states
an offer cannot be revoked for up to 3 months if
- offer to buy or sell goods
- signed, written promise to keep offer open
- party is a merchant
Option (contract)
Offer + promise not to revoke in exchange for consideration.
4 Ways offers become irrevocable
- option
- firm offer rule (ucc)
- reliance
- unilateral contract/ performance
3 Methods of Indirect Rejection
- counteroffers
- conditional acceptance
- additional terms (mirror image rule common law)
A discharge by __________ will occur if the purpose of the contract has become valueless by virtue of some supervening event not the fault of the party seeking discharge.
frustration
A contractor is hired to remodel a restaurant. After the contractor completes 90% of the work, the restaurant is destroyed in an earthquake.
The destruction of the restaurant :
Will discharge the contractor’s duty to perform
When a debtor breaches an accord agreement by failing to make an immediate satisfaction, the creditor:
May sue on either the original contract or the accord agreement
A contract may be discharged by a new contract that substitutes a new party to receive benefits and assume duties that had originally belonged to one of the original parties under the terms of the original contract. This is known as a discharge by:
Novation
A discharge by________ occurs when the parties manifest an intent to have an act of destruction or surrender of the written contract serve as a discharge, and consideration or one of its alternatives is present.
cancellation
A discharge by ______ is an agreement by the contracting parties not to sue on the contract.
Release
A discharge by ________ __________ occurs when the same parties to a contract enter into a second contract that immediately revokes the first contract.
substituted contract
__________ is an agreement in which one party to an existing contract agrees to accept, in lieu of the performance that she is supposed to receive from the other party to the existing contract, some other, different performance.
An accord
________ is the performance of the accord agreement. Its effect is to discharge not only the original contract but also the accord contract as well.
Satisfaction
A ______ occurs when a new contract substitutes a new party to receive benefits and assume duties that had originally belonged to one of the original parties under the terms of the old contract. The original contract will be discharged by the novation.
novation
The absolute duty to perform can be discharged by:
Full performance or a good faith tender of performance
Student enters into a contract with Violinist under which Violinist agrees to give Student violin lessons once a week for one year for $50 per week. Violinist subsequently has a stroke and is unable to teach.
Violinist’s duties under the contract will:
be discharged by impossibility
An executive hires a personal trainer for six months at $100 per week to ready the executive for an upcoming triathlon. One month into the contract, the executive suffers an accident that leaves her paralyzed and unable to compete in the triathlon. When the executive fails to pay the trainer, the trainer sues for breach of contract.
The trainer will ______________ because ___________.
Not prevail; the purpose of the contract was frustrated.
Homeowner enters into a contract with Paver for Paver to pave Homeowner’s driveway for $500. Paver dies immediately after beginning the project.
Paver’s contractual duties will:
Not be discharged.
Owner enters into a contract with Builder under which Builder agrees to renovate Owner’s 100-year-old mansion for $400,000. When the renovation is 80% complete, the mansion is washed away in a flood.
Builder’s duties under the contract will:
Be discharged by impossibility
Will a binding promise to perform serve to discharge a party’s duty to perform?
No, because the tendering party must offer to perform and possess the present ability to perform.
Once construction of a building has begun, an act of nature destroying the work in progress will have what effect on the contract?
It will often serve to extend the time for the builder’s performance in finishing the construction project
A and B enter into a contract. A, B, and C subsequently enter into a new contract that states that C will receive all benefits and assume all duties that had originally belonged to A in the initial A-B contract.
This is an example of:
A novation.
A borrowed $5,000 from B and agreed to repay it by May 1. On May 15, A, strapped for cash, offers to pay B $4,500 on May 16, and B agrees to accept that amount.
This agreement is __________.
Unenforceable.
Is consideration necessary for a valid mutual rescission of a contract?
Yes, each party giving up her right to counterperformance from the other party serves as consideration for the agreement to rescind the contract.
Will a binding promise to perform serve to discharge a party’s duty to perform?
No, because the tendering party must offer to perform and possess the present ability to perform.
The death of a party to a contract:
Discharges the contract only if that party was necessary to effectuate the contract
What is a novation?
A new contract that substitutes a new party to receive benefits and assume duties under the terms of an old contract
__________ exists if the purpose of the contract has become valueless by virtue of an unforeseeable supervening event.
Frustration
A building that is the subject of a contract between its owner and a contractor is completely destroyed by an act of nature.
If the contractor was working on a renovation, the destruction _____________; if the contractor was constructing the building, the destruction ________________.
Discharges the contractor’s duties by impossibility; does not discharge the contractor’s duties
A mutual agreement between two parties to a contract that each will give up her respective rights to performance from the other is known as:
A mutual rescission
Which one of the following elements is needed for a discharge of a contract due to frustration?
An unforeseen act or event has completely or almost completely destroyed the purpose of the contract
The defense of __________ applies when a party seeking specific performance is guilty of some wrongdoing in the transaction begin sued upon.
Unclean Hands
In the case of a sale of goods contract, if the standard measure of damages does not adequately compensate a seller for the buyer’s breach because the seller can manufacture or obtain as many goods as he can sell, he may recover damages based on ____________.
Lost profits.
When a party that offers a rare or unique service has breached a service contract, the court may grant __________ to the nonbreaching party.
Injunctive relief
_____________ is not available for breach of a contract to provide services, even if the services are rare or unique because it is difficult to supervise and most courts find that it is tantamount to involuntary servitude.
Specific peformance
_______ are generally not awarded in contract cases.
Punitive damages
A liquidated damages clause may be enforced even if:
No actual money damages have been suffered.
In a construction contract, if the property owner breaches the contract after construction has started but before it is completed, the builder is entitled to:
The profits he would have derived from the contract, plus any costs he has incurred
A court will grant an order of specific performance to enforce a contract not to compete if __________; and __________.
the services to be provided are unique; the covenant is reasonable.
To be reasonable, the covenant must be reasonably necessary to protect a legitimate interest of the person benefited by the covenant, it must be reasonable as to its geographic scope and duration, and it must not harm the public.
In a contract for the sale of goods, __________ may recover consequential damages.
Only the buyer
____________ conist of losses resulting from the breach that any reasonable person would have foreseen would occur from a breach at the time of entry into the contract.
Consequential Damages.
In contracts for the sale of goods, only the buyer may recover consequential damages.
A seller agrees to sell Blueacre to a buyer for $100,000. When the seller’s assistant types the contract, it states that it is for the sale of Blackacre, another of the seller’s properties. Neither the buyer nor the seller noticed the reference to the different parcel before signing.
Reformation
A court order requiring a breaching party to perform under the contract or face contempt of court charges is also known as:
Specific Peformance
Expectation damages are also known as:
Benefit of the bargain damages.
In a construction contract, if the property owner breaches the contract __________.
before construction has started, the builder is entitled to the profits he would have derived from the contract
Under Article 2, when a buyer refuses to accept goods or repudiates the contract, a seller ________, but is not required to do so.
may resell the goods
A seller always has the option of seeking either the difference in the contract price and the market price or the difference between the contract price and the resale price, plus incidental damages.
If an employer breaches a contract, the employee ___________________.
must use reasonable care in finding a position of the same kind, rank, and grade in the same locale.
Unless it will increase the damages, when an owner breaches, a builder is _____________.
under a duty to cease work on a project.
Unless it will increase, rather than decrease damages, a manufacturer is under a duty _________________.
to cease work when the party for whom the goods are being manufactured breaches the contract.
In the case of a breach of an employment contract by the employee, the employer may recover:
The cost to replace the employee regardless of whether the breach was intentional or unintentional.
The employer is entitled to the standard measure of damages computed according to what it costs to replace the employee (i.e., the difference between the cost incurred to get a second employee to do the work and the cost to the employer had the first breaching employee done the work)
Reliance damages are appropriately awarded when:
Expectation damages are too speculative to calculate.