formation of contracts Flashcards
what is required for a contract to be binding?
- manifestation of mutual assent
- consideration
- lack of valid defenses
define offer
objective manifestation of a willingness by offeror to enter into agreement that creates power of acceptance in offeree
intent - a statement is an offer only if:
- person to whom it is communicated could reasonably interpret it as an offer
- expresses present intent of a person to be legally bound by a K
what is the knowledge requirement for an offer?
offeree must know of the offer in order to have the power to accept
what is the general requirement for the terms of an offer?
terms must be definite or the contract fails for indefiniteness
what are the required terms for offer under common law?
- essential terms (parties, subject matter, price, quantity) must be covered in K
- if the parties intended to create a K, the court may supply missing terms
what are the required terms for an offer under the UCC?
- only essential term is quantity
- UCC “fills the gap” if other terms are missing
- EXCEPTION: requirements or output Ks (UCC implies “good faith”)
what language is required for a valid offer?
offer must contain words of promise, undertaking, or commitment, and be targeted to a number of people who could actually accept
what kind of contract is it if a return promise is requested?
bilateral contract
what kind of contract is it if an act is requested?
unilateral contract
advertisements as an invitation to deal
advertisements are only an invitation to receive offers (but may qualify as an offer if sufficiently specific and limits who can accept or if associated with a stated aware)
termination of offers - lapse of time
offer terminates on a specified termination date or a reasonable period of time if none stated
termination of offers - death/mental incapacity general rule
offer terminates, even if offeree does not learn of the offeror’s death until after the oferee has sent what he believes is an acceptance
termination of offers - death/mental incapacity EXCEPTION
offers for option Ks do not terminate because consideration was paid to keep the offer open
termination of offers - destruction/illegality
destruction of offer or illegality of offer terminates the offer
termination of offers - revocation
offer can be revoked any time prior to acceptance (even if it states it will be open for specific amount of time)
when is the revocation of an offer effective?
not effective until communicated
when is a revocation sent by mail effective?
revocation sent by mail is not effective until received
what are the four limitations on revocation?
(1) option K
(2) UCC firm offer rule
(3) promissory estoppel
(4) partial performance
limitations on revocation - option K
an offeree must generally give consideration for an option K to be enforceable
limitations on revocation - UCC firm offer rule
offer irrevocable (for reasonable time but no more than three months) if offeror is a merchant (or any business person), and assurances (in authenticated writing) are made that offer will remain open
is consideration needed to keep offer open under the UCC firm offer rule?
no
limitations on revocation - promissory estoppel
if offeree reasonably and detrimentally relies on offer it may become irrevocable
limitations on revocation - partial performance generally
for all Ks, offeree must have knowledge of offer when performance begins
limitations on revocation - partial performance unilateral K
offeror cannot revoke once offeree has begun performance
limitations on revocation - partial performance bilateral K
commencement of performance operates as promise to render complete performance
revocations of general offers (to large number of people)
revocable only by notice given at least same level of publicity as offer (effective even if potential offeree acts in reliance on offer)
rejection by offeree
- offeree clearly conveys to offeror that he no longer intends to accept the offer
- rejection usually effective upon receipt
- counteroffer - acts as rejection of original offer and creates new offer
what is an acceptance?
an objective manifestation by the offeree to be bound by the terms of the offer
how is a bilateral K accepted?
an exchange of promises that render enforceable
how is a unilateral K accepted?
- promise to do something by one party in return for an act of the other party
- starting to perform is not enough, but it will make offer irrevocable for a reasonable period of time to complete performance
- offeree must be aware of offer before acting
means of acceptance - general rule
unless offeror specifies, offeree can accept in any reasonable manner/means
means of acceptance - silence
silence is not acceptance unless offeree has reason to believe offer could be accepted by silence or previous dealings make it reasonable to believe that offeree must notify offeror if he does not intent to accept
means of acceptance - shipment of goods
buyer’s request that goods be shipped is inviting acceptance either by seller’s promise to ship or by prompt shipment of goods
means of acceptance - shipment of goods: nonconforming goods shipped
both an acceptance and a breach, unless seller seasonably notifies buyer that goods are an accommodation (counteroffer); buyer may then accept or reject the nonconforming goods
mailbox rule - generally
applies only to acceptance; almost exclusively applies to bilateral K
mailbox rule - acceptance
effective when sent (not upon receipt), unless offer provides otherwise
mailbox rule - rejection following acceptance
acceptance will control even if offeror receives
rejection first (but if offeror detrimentally relies on rejection then offeree estopped
from enforcing K)
mailbox rule - acceptance following reject
mailbox rule does not apply; first one received
(i.e., in possession of offeror or her agent, or deposited in mailbox) will prevail; offeror
need not actually read the received communication
mailbox rule - revocation
effective upon receipt
mailbox rule - options and other irrevocable offers
mailbox rule does not apply; acceptance
must be received by offeror by a certain date or before offer expires
notice - unilateral K
Offeree not required to give notice after completing performance, unless:
- Offeror wouldn’t learn of performance with reasonable certainty and promptness; or
- Offer requires notice.
notice - unilateral K: notice required but not provided—offeror’s duty is discharged, unless:
- Offeree exercises reasonable diligence to give notice;
- Offeror learns of performance within reasonable time; or
- Offer indicates notice of acceptance is not required.
notice - bilateral K
offeree must give notice of acceptance
- Mailbox rule—acceptance valid when sent (even though offeror hasn’t received it)
- UCC—if acceptance is made by beginning performance, notice is required within a
reasonable time; failure to give notice results in offer’s lapse
additional or different terms - common law mirror-image rule
acceptance must mirror the terms of the offer, so any change or addition to the terms acts as a rejection and a new counteroffer; conditional acceptance terminates the offer and acts as new offer from original offeree
additional or different terms - UCC (no mirror-image rule) in general
acceptance containing additional or different terms generally treated as acceptance
additional or different terms - UCC (no mirror-image rule): one or both parties are NOT merchants
definite and seasonable expression of
acceptance sent within a reasonable time is usually acceptance of original offer, and
new/different terms are treated as proposed additions to the K that must be separately
accepted by offeror
additional terms - UCC (no mirror-image rule): both parties are merchants (battle of the forms)
Additional terms—automatically included in the K, unless:
- Term materially alters original K (i.e., would result in surprise or hardship);
- Offer expressly limits acceptance to terms of the offer; or
- Offeror objects to new terms within a reasonable time after notice of new
terms is received.
- If one of these exceptions is met, original terms of offer control
additional or different terms - UCC (no mirror-image rule): one or both parties are NOT merchants EXCEPTION
an acceptance expressly conditioned on assent to new/different terms is
treated as a counteroffer
different terms - UCC (no mirror-image rule): both parties are merchants (battle of the forms)
(“knock-out” rule)—different terms in offer/acceptance nullify each other, and court uses Article 2’s gap-filling provisions to patch holes in K
additional or different terms - UCC (no mirror-image rule): acceptance based on conduct
if offer and purported acceptance differ too much to create a contract but the parties begin to perform anyway, then UCC allows for a
contract to be recognized with the following terms:
- Any terms actually agreed upon in the parties’ writings, and
- Any supplementary terms filled in by the UCC
consideration - bargain and exchange in general
must be a bargained-for legal detriment to the promisee
consideration - legal detriment and bargained-for exchange
- To constitute sufficient consideration, must be bargained-for in exchange for the promise, promise must induce the detriment, and detriment must induce the promise
- Consideration can be return promise to do or refrain from doing something, or performance of or refraining from doing some act
consideration - distinguishing gift from valid consideration
Test to distinguish gift from valid consideration is whether offeree could reasonably
believe intent of offeror was to induce the action (if YES, then there is consideration
and promise is enforceable)