K Flashcards
When has an enforceable K been formed?
Neumonic
All Contracts Dont Stink
You need to know that All Contracts Don’t Stink
Agreement (offer and acceptance)
Consideration (bargained for exchange)
Defenses to formation
Statute of Frauds (enforceability)
For a communication to be an offer, what must the communication show?
It must show that the offeror intends to be bound
Watch out for humor or anger (may not be serious intent)
How specific must your offer be?
Common law
It must have the essential terms
i.e., parties, quantity, price, subject matter
How specific must your offer be?
UCC
The only essential term is quantity
UCC fills the gaps for all other terms INCLUDING PRICE!
So price is not needed b/c you can go by the market/reasonable price
What are requirement K?
s <— B, but S — 1, 2
Buyer (B) promises to buy 100% of what B needs from Seller (S)
But S is free to sell to any buyer
What are output K?
S—->B, but B—1, 2
Seller promises to sell 100% of goods to a buyer
B is free to buy from any seller
What are the different ways to terminate an offer?
Squash the catterpillar (6 ways)
- Direct revocation (offeror communicates to offeree)
- Constructive revocation (offeree finds out of action inconsistent w/ability to accept)
- Rejection (by offeree)
- Counteroffer (legally a rejection + new offer)
- Offeror dies
- Reasonable time passes (offer expires on its own)
What are the types of irrevocable offers?
Name
- Option K
- Firm offers
- Unilateral K
What is required for a firm offer?
That a merchant makes a firm offer (a written, signed by offeror, explicit promise not to revoke offer) to buy or sell goods
Only a merchant can do this
Then who can the merchant make a firm offer to/with?
Transaction does NOT have to be exclusively b/w merchants. Merchant can make a firm offer to:
- buy from non-merchant.
- sell to a non-merchant.
- to another merchant
What happens when firm offers expire?
Upon expiration (if specified), the merchant must revoke the offer for it to stop existing.
Offeree CAN accept offer if it’s w/in reasonable time
Reasonable time = is not to exceed 3 months. UCC
Unilateral offer
Offeree’s actions
B/c unilateral offers require an action/performance by offeree to accept it…
offeree is NOT required to complete the performance
And would not be in breach
What will determine how you must accept an offer?
Wtv offeror says b/c the offeror is the master of the offer.
What happens if there is an ambiguity about whether the offer is unilateral or bilateral?
Acceptance can be made by either:
1. Performance
2. Return promise
What is the UCC trick for unilateral/bilateral ambiguity?
Shipping wrong goods
If seller tries to accept by performing, BUT ships wrong goods, under UCC this is an acceptance ++ breach!
Counteroffers
Common Law
CL uses the mirror image rule
What is the mirror image rule?
CL’s rule that an acceptance must be an identical MATCH (mirror image) of the offer!
IF NOT MIRROR IMAGE = NOT an acceptance.
What about conditional acceptances?
In CL
Another form of counteroffer, so NOT an acceptance
Language “if,” “only if,” “on the condition that,” “but,” etc.
UCC §2-207
What does it do?
UCC allows acceptances that do NOT exactly match the offer
When will there be an acceptance under UCC § 2-207(1)?
When there is a DEFINITE EXPRESSION of acceptance even if such has different/addional terms = OKAY
§2-207(1) looks at whether there was an acceptance.
When will there be NO acceptance under §2-207(1)?
IF 2d form makes acceptance conditional on different/additional terms.
If there is an acceptance, when will the new terms control K?
§ 2-207(2) requirements
New terms on the acceptance will govern IF:
- both parties are merchants
- New terms do not materially alter the deal
- Initial offer did not expressly limit acceptance to its term (1st form cannot expressly say acceptance must be made as is, you cannot add more/different terms)
- Offeror does not reject/object to new terms w/in reasonable time.
§2-207(1) looks at which terms control K.
When does UCC §2-207(3) come into play?
When there is no acceptance under §2-207(1) BUT parties act as if there was an agreement (goods were delivered) §2-207(3) will allow the terms that are the same in both writings to become K
All other terms will be supplied by UCC default rules.
What is the knock-out rule?
Majority jurisdiction
The terms that are different in both forms are “knocked-out.”
ONLY same terms apply and rest is UCC gap fillers
How do the minority jurisdictions treat different terms?
Compared to knock-out rule
If the “additional/different” terms in 2d paper do not control – THEN, initial offer controls ALL terms
Write it down!
UCC 2-207 confirming memo
early oral agreement AND then a written confirmation that ADDs terms.
Work through this as if it was a 2-207(2) analysis (but know new terms will rarely come in)
What do you need for there to be consideration?
Promisor must get a benefit
OR
Promisee must “suffer” a detriment
And benefit/detriment MUST be bargained-for (discussion-regateo)
Adequacy of consideration
There must be ENOUGH value to be adequate
$1 will be nominal = inadequate
Illusory promises
Defined
Promisor has not CLEARLY commited to the deal, so NO deal.
“I promise to buy your house if I feel like it”
Satisfaction K
Defined
Real K w/real consideration
“I promise $500 if you paint a family portait meets my satisfaction”
How do you meet the satisfaction conditions on satisfaction K?
Depends on the nature of the performance.
Generally, an objective standard of satisfaction applies (most reasonable people would be satisfied) UNLESS it deals w/K involving aesthetic taste then subjective standard
Can you ever breach a subjective satisfaction K`?
Yes, even though is subjective, if the dissatisfaction claim is in bad faith (you liked it but you lied that you didn’t), you CAN still breach
K modification
CL (common law)
You need new consideration for modification to be valid
B/c of the preexisting duty
Preexisting duty
K modification CL
Promise to do something that you are already legally obligated to do is NOT consideration.
Preexisting duty exceptions
There is:
1. a change in performance
2. 3rd party promising to pay
3. unforseen difficulties that excuse performance.
What happens to partial payments for debt obligation release?
When debt is currently due and undisputed
Nothing, the full debt is owed when the debt is currently due and undisputed. Any partial payment-modification of the debt - is NOT binding
What happens to partial payments for debt obligation release?
If debt is NOT currently due
Modification of partial payment to be released from debt is binding
UCC modification
Does NOT require new consideration, only good faith.
Preexisting duty does not apply to UCC (goods)
Is nondisclosure of a fact equivalent to a misrepresentation?
Adaptibar
YES IF the non-disclosing party KNOWS that disclosure of the fact is necessary to prevent some previous assertion from being a misrepresentation
Wrongful termination
Adaptibar
A wrongfully discharged employee is expected to mitigate damages by making reasonable efforts to seek comparable employment BUT if no comparable employment is reasonably available, the employee is entitled to recover the K promised salary or the $$ for the remaining time of their K.
A company’s unjustified termination of employment constitutes K breach.
Buyer repudiation
Under UCC
Adaptibar question
If buyer repudiates K, seller may recover:
1. difference b/w K price and resale price (if resale is done in accordance with UCC)
2. difference b/w K price and market price at time for tender