Contracts Review Flashcards
Surety will be responsible for any debt or other obligation of a third party (i.e., the principal) resulting from the principal’s failure to pay as agreed is ____ the SOF
Is Subject to the SOF
Surety - if main purpose of a surety in agreeing to pay the debt of the principal is the surety’s own economic advantage, rather than the principal’s benefit ….
then the contract does not fall within the SOF
and
an Oral Promise by the surety is Enforceable
When a contract is made by an infant / minor –
Voidable by the Infant but not by the other party
- may either disaffirm (void) the contract and avoid any liability under it
~or~ choose to hold the adult party to the contract
Minor Contract for Necessities.
Must pay for them, but - recovery by the person furnishing the necessities is limited to the Reasonable Value
(not the agreed upon price)
SOF - situations
Mr- Marriage S - Surety O - One Year U - UCC R - Real Property
SOF - Property
PIP Possession Improvements Payment -- Need 2/3 --- to enforce oral contract * Part Performance *
Fraudulent Misrepresentation requires - Elements
1i) the misrepresentation is made knowingly and with intent to mislead the other party (i.e., it is fraudulent),
2) the misrepresentation induced assent to the contract,
3) the adversely affected party justifiably relied on the misrepresentation.
Fraudulent Misrepresentation - cures the problem
No longer voidable if before the deceived party has avoided the contract - it is CURED to be in accord with the facts that were previously misrepresented.
Price Spike due to unforeseen event - try to renegotiate / refused / refused to fulfill - Result ?
Enforceable - if contract price was reasonable when agreed to it.
Mistake - 1 party made a mistake that induced contract
ex; Female dog instead of male
When one party is mistaken as to an essential element of the contract, Mistaken Party (buyer) = Can Void the contract if she did not bear the risk of mistake and the Non-Mistaken Party (seller) caused the mistake or should have known that the other party was mistaken.
Services and Real Property Contracts deal with ?
Common Law
Goods Contracts deal with ?
UCC
Mixed Contact
- Goods and Services -
Predominant Purposes Rule - whichever plays the bigger roll
How do you analyze a contract (mnemonic)
All Contracts Don't Stink A - Agreement = offer / acceptance C - Consideration = bargained for D - Defenses Stink - SOF
Secret intentions when making an offer - mean
> guy at bar w/ signed napkin
Depends on if he made an objectively serious intent to be bound
Specific Terms in the Common Law
Party, Price, Subject, Quantity
Specific Terms in UCC
Only Quantity
- Gap Fillers for the other terms
Offer must convey the right to accept
- Invitation to Deal ~ Advertisement
- Reward
- Seen as an invitation to deal - doesn’t convey power unless very specific
- Allowed
Terminating the Offer (squash the caterpillar)
- Express - communication to the offeree
- Constructive - Offeree learns that the offeror has taken action that is absolutely inconsistent with ability to contract
- Offeree Rejects Offer
- Offeree Counter-Offers - not just a counter - inquiry
- Offeror Dies - before formation
- Reasonable Amount of Time Passes
Irrevocable Offer (4)
- Option Contract
- Firm Offer
- Unilateral
- Detrimental Reliance
Option Contract =
Offeree buys option to keep it open
Firm Offer
- Merchant in UCC
- Signed by offeror and
- Promise to Keep Open
- Time - as long as stated or up to 90 days
Unliteral Contract
Cannot be revoked if the offeree started performance
ex: walk across the bridge - halfway
- He doesn’t have to finish ..can quit the contract
Detrimental Reliance
Reasonably and Detrimentally Relies on Contract
- (ex: Contractor / sub-contractor - subcontractor offers the materials for a price and the contractor offers to build ..contractor reasonably relied on subs offer to make his bid)
If ambiguity about whether Unilateral or Bi-lateral
Modern approach = Accept by Either Performance or Return Promise
Shipped the Wrong Goods - UCC
UCC = Rejection + Breach
Mailbox Rule
Acceptance when Sent - properly addressed / stamped
Mailbox Special Rules – Does NOT Apply
- Offeree sends something back first: like a rejection or counter offer
- Other types of communication must be received not when sent
- Options contracts - paid to keep open
- Unclear w/ email / fax
- Send rejection first / then Acceptance - whichever opened first
Acceptance by Silence
- Unilateral Reward
- Unilateral where the other party can SEE you accepted (ex: Built the house)
- Past history of dealings where silence OK
- Offer states acceptance by Silence
Implied in Fact - silence
Acceptance through silence , gestures , actions
Ex: showing up for classes and payment is due
Counter Offer - Common Law
Common Law = Mirror Image Rule
Acceptance Terms must Match Offer
or
it is a Counter
- conditional acceptance is a counter offer
Counter Offer - UCC
Different Terms on Back of Confirmation
- definite seasonal acceptance or confirmation acts as an acceptance UNLESS CONDITIONAL on acceptance of different terms
Counter Offer - UCC confirming memo
Additional Terms (4 Elements)
– confirming Memo w/ additional terms
Rarely come into contract - Only in if
- Both are merchants
- Doesn’t Materially alter deal
- Initial Offer didn’t expressly limit acceptance to original terms
- Offeror does not reject new terms w/in reasonable time
Counter Offer - UCC - Different Terms
Knockout Rule
- knock out both terms and Gap Fillers
UCC - Offer where both Parties act as if there is a contract but really isn’t one
Only terms they agree on in the writings