Specific Performance Flashcards
Specific Performance
Describe SP?
SP: Mandates the performance of an obligation that arises under a contract or express trust. Thus it’s akin to a mandatory injunction except that SP compels the performance of an obligation under a contract or express trust while MIs compel the performance of something else not the subject of an existing contract relationship
Specific Performance
Bagnall v Edwards
Discretionary - Before ordered, must show damages would not be an adequate remedy
Specific Performance
Penn v Lore Baltimore [1750]
The remedy operates in personam: D must be in the jurisdiction of the court for SP to be ordered against him
- P + D in contract to fix the boundaries of Pennsylvania (owned P) and Maryland (owned by D)
- P sought SP in UK courts. Held they had jurisdiction as although the dispute’s subject-matter was in the
USA, the D was in England.
Specific Performance - General Points
What legal predicates are there for SP? What statutes apply to enforcement etc?
P must show existence of a concluded contract or creation of express trust: if none, there’s nothing in respect of which SP may be ordered. Also, the terms must be so certain to enable court frame an order in precise terms
S.2 Chancery Amendment Act 1858 gives a court power to award damages in lieu of specific performance:
Collins v Duffy [2009]: Held P was entitled to SP but clear they didn’t want to proceed with the purchase so she awarded damages to put them in the position the would’ve been in if the contract had proceeded.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land
General rule?
SP is most commonly sought in contracts for sale of land. Presumption that, as land has special value, damages not adeq remedy for purchaser. So if conditions met, onus on D (vendor) to show why SP should be refused
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land
Jodifern v Fitzgerald [2000]
- Held P must establish the making of an enforceable concluded agreement + where it’s a verbal one, P must establish not only the concluded agreement but existence of note/memo signed by D or his agent.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Enforceable Concluded Agreement
Supermacs Ireland v Katesan [2000]:
SC held all the terms must be agreed before can be a concl agreement
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Enforceable Concluded Agreement - Deposit
Do you have to have a deposit for an enforceable agreement?
S.51(3) LCLRA 2009: A deposit does not have to be paid in order for there to be an enforceable agreement.
But do you need an agreement (term) in respect of the amount and payment of a deposit?
Boyle v Lee [1992]: SC said there has to be an agreement in respect of the deposit BUT in:
Supermacs Ireland v Katesan [2000]: SC suggested it’s not essential to have a term relating to a deposit.
Biehler (2016): The better view is that it’s not essential to have a deposit term and the crucial question is whether everything the parties intended to include in the contract has been addressed.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Enforceable Concluded Agreement - Completion Date
Boyle v Lee [1992]:
SC held where no time for performance is agreed the law implies an undertaking to each party to perform his part of the contract within a time that is reasonable having regard to the circs of the case
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note
Is a memo or note required for the sale or other disposition of land?
If concluded agreement is an oral one, it must be evidence by a memo or note.
S.2 Statute of Frauds, now governed by, s.51(1) LCLRA 2009 requires a note/memo in writing, signed by D or his agent, before an action can be brought to enforce a contract for the sale of land
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note
Godfrey v Power [1961
sets out the requirements for a memo: 3Ps + ETs
- Must contain all the essential terms. Parties, property + consideration must be ascertainable.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note
Shirley Engineering Ltd v Irish Telecomms [1999]
- Geoghegan J HC held essential terms are those terms that would always be regarded as essential with any special added terms the parties in the particular case would regard as essential.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note
Supermacs Ireland v Katesan [2000]
- Geoghegan J in SC then held only ‘material terms’ need be included in a note/memo for it to be sufficient.
Note: ‘Material Term’ depends on the circs, but generally the 3Ps must be stipulated (parties, prop, price).
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note - Deposit
Shirley Engineering Ltd v Irish Telecomms [1999]:
HC said the amt of the deposit was not an essential term
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note - Evidence of the Existence of a Concluded Agreement
Boyle v Lee [1992]:
Note/memo must recognise existence of a concluded contract bw the parties.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land - Memo or Note - Evidence of the Existence of a Concluded Agreement
Mulhall v Haren [1981]:
If a letter states a transaction is ‘STC’, can’t be sufficient note/memo.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land -The Doctrine of Part Performance
Describe?
In certain circs, equity believes that to insist on a memo/note would facilitate fraud. If P has done some acts of part performance, may be able to rely on this rather than memo/note to show entitlement to SP of the oral agr.
No need for evidence in writing i.e. compliance with s.51 LCLRA 2009.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land -The Doctrine of Part Performance
Lowry v Reid [1927] NI
- P’s mum promised to leave her property to P if he transferred his farm + £200 to his bro. Did this + went to live with mum. She made a will reflecting the promise but later revoked it + left on a life interest.
- Held acts of PP don’t go towards proving existence of an oral agr, but towards establishing P’s right to SP
- Held the acts relied on must be those of P not D. SP ordered. Approved in Steadman v Steadman [1976]
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land -The Doctrine of Part Performance
Mackie v Wilde [1998] Ireland
- Alleged contract bw joint owners of fishery to limit the no. of annual licences that’d be issued.
- Held the court’s seeking to ensure D isn’t using the Statute to commit a fraud. Essential matters:
(1) There was a concluded oral contract;
(2) P acted in such a way that showed an intention to perform the contract;
(3) The D induced such acts or stood by while they were being performed; and
(4) It’d be unconscionable + breach good faith to let D rely on the Statute of F to prevent performance. - Held the court should first examine what was agreed to establish existence of alleged oral agreement, then turn to conduct of the parties allegedly constituting acts of part performance.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land -The Doctrine of Part Performance
Starling Securities v Woods [1977]:
Taking possession of land and carrying out improvements to it can constitute acts of PP:
Going onto land + demolishing buildings on it constituted acts of PP
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale or Other Disposition of Land -The Doctrine of Part Performance
Steadman v Steadman [1976]
The payment of money can also constitute an act of PP and so can transferring deeds/documents:
- P + D were husband + W. Jointly owned house. D left P + was granted maintenance orders. P fell into arrears + oral agreement reached where D would transfer her interest in the house to P for £1.5k
- D agreed to discharge of the arrears of maintenance on payment of £100 which P paid+ sent draft deed
- D refused to proceed. Held the payment of money constituted an act of PP.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale of Personal Property - Sufficient Rarity/Unique Quality
Phillips v Lamdin [1949
Adam door unique as can’t make new one nowadays. Damages insufficient. SP.
Specific Performance - Contracts for the Sale of Personal Property - Sufficient Rarity/Unique Quality
Cohen v Roche [1927]:
Contract for sale of 8 chairs. No SP: chairs were ordinary + no special value
Specific Performance - Contracts Requiring Supervision
General Rule?
Contracts requiring a party to perform an ongoing activity are unlikely to get SP from the court due to continuing obligations. Courts want to avoid supervising compliance on a constant basis.
Specific Performance - Contracts Requiring Supervision - Traditional Approach
Ryan v Mutual Tontine Westminster Assoc [1893]
- Lessee in block of flats was beneficiary of D’s covenant to provide a porter who’d be ‘constantly in attendance’. D appointed one who was regularly absent. SP failed: requires continuing supervision.