Sales Flashcards
Policy goals for Contracts and the law of Sales (UCC)
-The sanctity of contracts
-Freedom to contract
-Certainty/predictability
-Uniformity
-Modernize
-Greater efficiency
What are the policy goals for contracts and the law of sales trying to do?
create jobs, and generate economic growth, and development.
Should the UCC should be strictly construed (or applied) so as to change the common law results as minimally as possible?
No
T/F The UCC Should be literally construed
True
(Y/N) If a court in State X is dealing with a UCC issue, is it more appropriate than usual for the court to follow a judicial decision in a different jurisdiction (such as State Y) that has already applied the same UCC provision to a similar issue?
Yes (policy goal of uniformity)
If the UCC speaks to the issue, then the [choose one: UCC/common law] rules apply. If the UCC does not speak to the issue, then the [choose one: UCC/common law] rules apply.
UCC, then Common Law
In drafting a contract governed by the UCC, can the parties choose to apply the law of any state they want (for example, if the parties are both in Illinois and all the activity will be in Illinois, will it be enforceable if they state that Hawaii law shall apply to the contract)?
No…The choice of law clause must have a reasonable relationship to the transaction.
Unless the parties agree otherwise, when interpreting a contract, what most important in determining the intent of the parties?
express terms of the contract
When may express terms of the contract be waived?
by the parties’ course of performance.
Does “failure to act in good faith, by itself . . . support an independent cause of action”?
NO
Are courts bound by the language in the Official Comments to the UCC provisions
No
Two areas in particular that the UCC does not address are
(i) whether the communication is an offer
(ii) whether there is sufficient consideration to form a contract
The law of sales is generally state or federal law?
state
What does UCC article 2 generally apply to?
the sale of goods
Goods?
All things that are moveable at the time of identification to the contract (UCC 2-105)
Divided transactions–when the contract divides payments between the goods and the services, this can apply to a situation where a party has tried to artificially turn two contracts into one…
The Predominant Purpose test
What is the predominant purpose test (dominant thrust)
Factor test
#1 the language of the contract
#2 the nature of the business of the supplier
#3 The reason the parties entered into the contract (parties intent)
#4 Amount paid for (i) the goods on one hard; and (ii) services on the other nd-
Generally, would the following transactions be subject to UCC Article 2? [In each situation, presume the invoice states a lump sum price; as a result, there is not a separate price stated for the goods or parts, and a separate price for the services)?
The purchase of a carpet?
Yes
Generally, would the following transactions be subject to UCC Article 2? [In each situation, presume the invoice states a lump sum price; as a result, there is not a separate price stated for the goods or parts, and a separate price for the services)?
The replacement of the brakes and brake lining in your car?
No
Generally, would the following transactions be subject to UCC Article 2? [In each situation, presume the invoice states a lump sum price; as a result, there is not a separate price stated for the goods or parts, and a separate price for the services)?
The purchase and installation of aluminum siding for your home?
Courts are split…
Helvey v. Wabash County REMC
It is necessary for goods to be (1) a thing; (2) existing; and (3) movable, with (2) and (3) existing simultaneously; electricity qualifies in each respect.
The Amazing Spider Man
Under the UCC, is there an obligation to act in good faith during contract negotiation or formation? (Article 1)
NO.
When does UCC impose an obligation to act in good faith? (Article 1)
in contract performance and enforcement, and even then the failure to act in good faith buy itself does not support an independent cause of action.
The obligation of good faith frequently arises when?
when a party has discretion under a contract, such as (i) if the party is given the authority to set the price; or (ii) if the party only has to purchase (or otherwise perform) if the goods (or other return performance) is satisfactory to the buyer.
most substantive UCC Article 2 provisions refer to
the sale of goods
In Helvery v. Wabash County, the parties are arguing about whether UCC Article 2 applies because
the difference in the Statute of limitations
Under the UCC, the statue of limitations is
4 years from the date the cause of action accrues, regardless of the date of discovery. 2-725
By agreement in the contract, can the parties extend the UCC Article 2 statute of limitations?
No 2-725
By agreement in the original contract, can the parties reduce the statute of limitations? (Yes/No) If yes, how short can it be?
Yes, 1 year.
In general, under UCC Article 2, the cause of action accrues when the
the other party breaches, regardless of when the aggrieved party discovers the breach.
Generally, a breach of warranty occurs when the goods are
tendered or delivered, unless the warranty expressly extends to future performance. In that case, the statute of limitations begins to run on the date of discovery within the warranty period.
According to the authors, a party may choose
the cause of action for the case based on (i) when the case is filed, and (ii) the available statute of limitations.
Epstein v. Giannattasio
When service is the predominant, and transfer of title to personal property the incidental, feature of a transaction, the transaction is not a sale of goods within the application of statutes relating to sales.
Beauty parlor case = services…even tho product was used.
Connie Beale, Inc. v. Kathleen Plimpton
interior decorating = services
Bonebrake v. Cox, d/b/a Tamarack Bowl
The test for inclusion or exclusion of contracts involving mixed goods and services is not whether they are mixed, but, granting that they are mixed, whether their predominant factor, their thrust, their purpose, reasonably stated, is the rendition of service with goods incidentally involved, such as a contract with an artist for a painting, or is a transaction of sale with labor incidentally involved, such as the installation of a water heater in a bathroom.
Simulados Software Ltd. v. Photon Infotech Private, Ltd.)
Article 2 does not apply here…Photon agreed to perform a range of tasks, including writing code, reviewing code, and providing technical support. The contract also required Photon to create a web application and a website-authentication certification for downloads.
When is the UCC more likely to apply to computer software?
- When it is mass-produced;
- Standardized, and
- Generally available.
In the case of software meeting the description above, does it matter if the seller also provides ancillary services, such as: (i) training; (ii) repairs; (iii) system upgrades; (iv) installments; (v) tech support; (vi) modifications; (vii) corrected; and (viii) maintanance?
No.