Final Flashcards
Common Law
Governs transactions of services, land and real estate
UCC
Governs the sale of goods
Contract Formation
Requires mutual assent and consideration to form a legally binding contract
Mutual Assent
The manifestation of present intent to enter into a legally binding contract. One way to determine if mutual assent exists is to identify an offer by one party and the acceptance by the other
Mutual Assent: Offer
The present desire to enter into a legally binding contract by inviting acceptance to a specific person or group, and creates the reasonable understanding that upon acceptance, a contract will be formed. Requires sufficiently certain terms
Q-TPPPS
Quantity
Time
Place
Price
Parties
Subject Matter
Special Rules: Offer
Advertisements/Price Quotes
Requests for Bids
Letters of Intent
Generally, not considered offers
Advertisements/Bids
Advertisements and price quotes are not an offer, but rather an invitation to offer
Exception when a specific offerree or a limited quantity
Requests for Bids
Contractors requests for bids is an invitation for offers
Sub-contractors actual bids they submit are considered offers and no contract formed until chosen
Letters of Intent
Document signed by both parties in order to communicate the parties’ partial completion of a contract
Exception when party makes it clear they intend to presently be legally bound
Acceptance
The manifestation of assent from the offerree to the offeror to the exact terms and in the manner invited or required by the offeror. Under common law, acceptance must be made to the exact terms contained in the offer. This is known as the Mirror Image Rule
Manners of Acceptance
An offeror may control the manner of an offerree’s acceptance and there is no legally binding contract if the acceptance is not in the manner the offeror requires
Unilateral
Acceptance by performance, when the offeror unambiguously requires acceptance by performing the very act the offeror is seeking
Bilateral
Acceptance by promise to perform; when the offeror requires acceptance to be in the form of a return promise
Both parties are making a promise
Silence
Generally, silence is not considered an acceptance unless, (1) the offeror gives a reason to believe silence is accepted; or (2) previous dealings allowed silence
How To Determine Manner of Acceptance?
If the offer requires manner, the offerree must comply to accept
If the offer suggests manner, any reasonable manner is acceptance
If the offer does not say manner, any reasonable manner is acceptance
Methods of Termination of the Power of Acceptance
Rejection
Counter-Offers
Lapse
Revocation
Death or Incapacity
Rejection
A rejection is words or conduct that an offeror can reasonably infer mean that the offerree does not intend to accept the offer
Once an offer is rejected, the offer is terminated
Counter-Offer
(1) An offer from the offerree to the offeror (2) relating to the same subject (3) proposing a different bargain, (4) terminates the offerree’s power to accept UNLESS (5) the offeror or offerree manifest a contrary intention
Did they mean yes, and request something additional to accompany or mean to reject and propose new terms for offer?
Lapse
An offer lapses when an unreasonable amount of time has passed since the offer was made before an acceptance is tendered
Generally, in face to face conversation, the offer lapses at the end of the conversation and cannot be accepted afterwards, unless context of said conversation allows it to be so
Revocation
An offeror may revoke an offer until it is accepted or, in the case of a unilateral contract, performance has begun
Modern/New Rule
Once a party begins performance, given a reasonable time to complete to, a contract is formed upon the start of performance so long as it is completed within a reasonable amount of time
Direct Revocation
Offeror directly tells offerree no
WORDS
Indirect Revocation
Offeror does something inconsistent with the intention to enter a contract AND the offerree gets information to that intent, so they are aware offeror no longer intends to enter
DEEDS
Irrevocable Offers
Option Contract (Common Law)
Firm Offer (UCC)
Option Contract
Contract formed through mutual assent AND consideration in order to keep an offer open for a set period of time in exchange for $
UCC 2-205 - Firm Offer
A firm offer BY A MERCHANT must be in writing and cannot be revoked during the time stated, or if that time is not stated, what is reasonable
ONLY IRREVOCABLE FOR 3 MONTHS! Then, may be left open or revoked by seller before acceptance is made even if still in the time frame offered to be kept open
Death or Incapacity
Offerree’s power to accept is terminated upon the death or incapacity of the offeror
Consideration
Bargained-for exchange. Both parties must acquire something of value in which they desire from the agreement in exchange
What is NOT consideration?
Past Consideration
Moral Consideration
Nominal Promises
Settlement of Claims
Illusory Promises
Pre-Existing Duty Rule
Past Consideration
Something that has already taken place cannot be bargained for in an agreement now
Moral Consideration
A promise to do what one is morally obligated to do, or morally should do, is not valid consideration
Nominal Promises
Consideration that is so insignificant as to bear no relationship to the value of what is being exchanged
I.e. $100 in exchange for 1 cent
Forbearance
Giving up ones legal rights to do something is consideration in exchange for something of value
Adequacy
If consideration is found, the courts will not inquire whether it is adequate
It does not need to be an equal bargain
Settlement of Claims
A settlement agreement that turns out later to be an invalid claim is upheld if (1) P had a genuine belief that the claim was in good faith (subjective); and (2) the claim had a reasonable basis not surpassing doubtfulness (objective)
I.e. bastard baby
Pre-Existing Duty Rule
A promise to do what one is already legally obligated to do, and has not given new consideration, yet the other side has
Issue frequently arises when parties one existing contract and then make a second contract
Does not apply to UCC
Illusory Promise - “unfettered discretion”
One party makes a promise to potentially do something in exchange for the other party promising to actually do something
ONLY ONE PARTY IS BOUND TO PERFORM!
Completely up to a party to do what they want in an agreement unchecked. If you cannot prove breach, then it is illusory
Contract Modifications
Parties are always allowed to make changes to their agreement, but they both must agree to the modification
Common Law: Mutual Assent and Consideration
UCC: Mutual Assent, but 2-209 rule
Promissory Estoppel
(1) A promise made to a promisee which (2) a promisor should reasonably expect the promisee will rely on (induce action or forbearance), (3) the promise does induce such action or forbearance (promisee actually relies on it - detrimental reliance), and (4) injustice can only be avoided by enforcing the promise
UCC 2-204
Formation
If there was an agreement between parties and the parties act like they have an agreement, there is a contract
It does not matter when the contract was formed, as long as there was an offer and acceptance
Even if the terms are murky, if there was an offer and acceptance, there was a contract
Defenses
Deception
Mistake
Duress
Illegality
Incapacity
Unconscionability
Statute of Frauds
Types of Deception
Misrepresentation
Non-Disclosure
Concealment
Types of Misrepresentation
Intentional
Negligent
Innocent
Misrepresentation
An assertion not in accord with the facts
(1) False Statement
(2) About a fact material to the contract
(3) Made with the requisite mental state
(4) Actually and justifiably relied on by the other party
(5) Causing damages
Non-Disclosure
(1) Failure to disclose a fact
(2) A duty to disclose a fact
(3) The non-disclosed fact was material to entering the contract
(4) The other party actually and justifiably relied on the state of the terms in the absence of the disclosed fact
(5) Damage
Concealment
(1) Active efforts to prevent another party from learning a fact
(2) The concealed fact was material to the decision to enter into a contract
(3) The other party actually and justifiably relied on the facts as they appeared within the concealment
(5) Damage
Mistake
Mutual Mistake
(1) Erroneous belief about a material fact was shared by both parties
(2) The erroneous fact was a basic assumption upon which the contract was formed - CORE OF THE DEAL
(3) The erroneous fact had a material effect on the agreed upon exchange between the parties
Unilateral
When one party is mistaken as to the subject matter or terms contained in the contract
Duress
(1) One party makes an overt or implicit threat
(2) The threat induces assent
The other party cannot exercise free will because there is no reasonable alternative but to agree
Types of Duress
Traditional
Economic