Contracts 2 Exam I Flashcards
(218 cards)
Alexus and Kaitlyn agree that Alexus will sell goods to Kaitlyn “f.o.b” the place of destination. Prior correspondence shows that the price has been adjusted on the assumption that Kaitlyn’s insurance policies will cover the goods during the shipment . Is there mutual understanding?
Notwithstanding the normal meaning of the “f.o.b” term declared in UCC 2-319, it may be found that the parties have “otherwise agreed” under that section that Kaitlyn bears the risk in transit.
Alexus signs a negotiable promissory note payable to Kaitlyn’s order, and Anna signs her name on the back without more. Is the signature an endorsement? Is evidence admissible?
Under UCC 3-402, Anna’s signature is an endorsement, and evidence of a contrary understanding is not admissible except for the purpose of reformation of the instrument. This conclusion does not rest on interpretation of the writing.
Alexus agree to sell beer to Kaitlyn at a specified price per barrel. At the time of the agreement both parties and others in their trade use a standard barrels wooden barrels which originally hold 31 gallons and hold less as they continue in use. A statute defines a barrel as 31 ½ gallons.
The statute does not prevent interpretation of the agreement as referring to the barrels in use.
Alexus agrees to sells and Kaitlyn to buy a quantity of eviscerated “chicken.” A slender “stewing chicken” or “fowl” Kaitlyn rejects on the ground that the contract calls for “broilers” or “fryers.” Each party make a claim for damages against the other. It is found that each acted in good faith and that neither had reason to know of the difference in meaning.
Both claims fail.
Alexus order goods from Kaitlyn, using Alexus’s standard form. Kaitlyn acknowledges the order, using her standard form. Each provides that no terms are agreed to except those on the form and that the other party agrees to the form. One form contains an arbitration clause; the other does not. The goods are delivered and paid for. Later a dispute arises as the quality
There is no agreement to arbitrate the dispute.
Alexus contracts with Kaitlyn to do concrete work on a bridge, to be paid for according to “the number of square yards of concrete surface included in the bridge deck.” An estimate included in the proposal for bids and an estimate submitted by Alexus to Kaitlyn after award are shown to have been based on the top surface only, not including the side and bottom surfaces.
On a finding that this was the mutual understanding, the contract is to be so interpreted.
In a written agreement between Alexus and Kaitlyn it is stated that Kaitlyn owns half of the stock of Anna’s company, that “Alexus has rendered valuable services to Anna company for which Kaitlyn desires to compensate Alexus in the sum of 25,000 payable in the manner hereinafter set forth,” and that Kaitlyn will pay Alexus “one-half of all money received from Anna company, such a dividends, or profits until Alexus has been paid the said amount of 25,000.” It is shown that the written agreement was executed after the services were rendered, that there was no prior explicit understanding that Alexus would be compensated, and that before signing the written agreement Alexus and Kaitlyn orally agreed that the 25,000 was to be a “bonus out of Kaitlyn’s profit,” “doubling or nothing,” “a gamble.” Is the written agreement and the oral agreement read together
The written agreement is to be interpreted in accordance with the oral agreement.
Alexus promises Kaitlyn as follows: “In consideration of your supplying my nephew Anna with China and earthenware during the coming year, I guarantee the payment of any bills you may draw on him on account thereof to the amount of 200” Anna is engaged in the business of selling such goods. Kaitlyn sells Anna 2,000 of china during the year and draws bills for their price in varying amounts. Anna pays 1,000 and then defaults.
Alexus’s promise is to be interpreted as a continuing undertaking, not limited to the first 200 of purchases.
Alexus agrees with her divorced wife Kaitlyn and Anna, trustee, to pay to Anna 1,200 each year for the benefit of Barbara, the 10-year-old son of Alexus and Kaitlyn, until Barbara enters college, and to pay 2,200 each year for the period of Barbara’s higher education but not more than four years. At age 19 Barbara completes high school and is inducted into the army.
Upon a finding that the main purpose of the agreement is to provide for Barbara’s maintenance and education, the agreement is to be interpreted as not required payments during military service.
A written agreement between Alexus and Kaitlyn for the exchange of real estate provides that Alexus and Kaitlyn will each pay a 200 commission to Anna, a broker, “upon the signing of this agreement by both parties hereto.” The last sentence of the agreement states, “The commission being due and payable upon the transfer of the properties.” It is shown that Alexus refused to sign the agreement until the last sentence was added.
The agreement is to be interpreted to make the commission due only when both the signing and the transfer take place.
11) Alexus agrees to appoint Kaitlyn exclusive distributor in a specified area for a new product to be manufactured by Alexus, and Kaitlyn agrees to use her best efforts to promote sale of the product. The written agreement includes an initial retail price list and a provision that Alexus will sell to Kaitlyn at the lowest price and highest discount it gives to any distributor. Whether the parties intend to be bound before any other distributor is appointed or any price fixed is a question of the meaning of the entire agreement in its context.
If they do, the agreement has the effect of an agreement to sell at a reasonable price at the time for delivery.
10) The facts above, there is a local usage in the restaurant trade that Fuel includes electricity used in cooking.
In the absence of contrary indication, Fuel may be read in accordance with the usage. But a provision in the lease that if Kaitlyn installs a new electric range, she will also install a special meter and pay for electricity used by the range would show that the parties did not adopt the local usage.
11) A contract for the sale of meat scraps calls for minimum 50% protein. As both parties know, by a usage of the business in which the are engaged, 49.5 per cent is treated as the equivalent of 50 per cent.
The contract is to be interpreted in accordance with the usage.
12) Alexus discloses to Kaitlyn a secret formula for an antiseptic liquid and Kaitlyn agrees to pay monthly royalties based on amounts sold. Fifty years later the formula has been published in medical journals. After continuing to pay for 25 years more, Kaitlyn contends that the duty to pay royalties ended when the formula ceased to be secret.
Kaitlyn’s conduct strongly negates the contention.
13) Several railroads agree in writing to share working expenses and taxes of X, another railroad, on a “wheelage basis.” For several years they pay shares in proportion to their stock ownership in the other railroad. Then all but one agree that they have been mistaken and that future payments will be made on a basis of use of X’s physical properties.
Stock ownership is so plainly unrelated to any possible meaning of “wheelage” that the course of performance does not support in interpretation of wheelage basis as requiring payments in proportion to stock ownership.
1) Alexus licenses Kaitlyn to manufacture pipes under Alexus’s patents, and Kaitlyn agree to pay “a royalty for 50 cents per 1,000 feet for an output of 5,000,000 or less feet per year, and for an output of over 5,000,000 feet per year at the rate of 30 per cents thousand feet.” The 50 cent rate is payable on the first 5,000,000 feet, the 30 cent rate only on the excess.
The more literal reading is unreasonable, since it would involve a smaller payment for 6,000,000 feet than for 4,000,000 feet.
2) Alexus, an agent of Anna, authorized to make contracts for Anna, writes a letter to Kaitlyn beginning “we offer,” and stating a proposal in detailed and clear language, signed “Anna by Alexus, Agent.” At the bottom of the office stationery which Alexus uses for the offer there is printed “all contracts and orders taken are subject to the approval of the execute office.” Alexus portion of the letter is typed over a portion of this printing.
A jury’s finding that the printed words were not part of the letter and that it is therefore an offer will not be set aside.
3) A charter party contains the printed provision “vessel to have turn in loading.” There is written below this, “vessel to be loaded promptly.”
The printed and written provisions are given the consistent meaning that the vessel shall take its turn in loading, though this involves considerable delay, but when its turn arrives, the vessel shall be loaded promptly.
4) Alexus’s agent Kaitlyn draw checks on the Anna bank, imprinting the amounts with perforations made by a check writing machine. The amounts are also handwritten in figures.
In case of conflict, since the perforated amounts are more difficult to alter, they control the handwritten figures.
• Alexus and her husband convey their ranch to Alexus’s sister and her husband, reserving an option to repurchase. The parties agree orally that the property will be kept in the family, but the deed says nothing as to assignment of the option. If the deed is found to be a partial integration, the oral agreement is effective to show that the option is not assignable.
If the deed is found to be a complete integration, the oral agreement is discharged, and the option is assignable.`
1) Alexus delivers a fur coat to Kaitlyn for storage and receives a warehouse receipt which purports on its face to set forth the terms of the storage contract.
By accepting the receipt, whether or not Alexus reads it or understands it, Alexus assents to its terms.
2) Alexus pays ten cents and checks a parcel in a parcel room in a bus terminal and receives a parcel check three inches long and two and one-half inches wide. The check bears an identifying number and the word contract, both conspicuous, and contractual terms in fine print, but Alexus does not read it or know of the terms until later.
The terms are not part of the checking agreement.
3) Alexus sells plant bulbs to Kaitlyn. Later Alexus delivers with an invoice containing contractual language. Kaitlyn writes on a copy of the invoice “picked up on Oct. 27th” and signs her name.
The invoice terms are not part of the contract
4) Alexus, an insurance company, issues an insurance policy to Kaitlyn covering injuries “by accidental means.” A clause in the policy excludes “disability or other loss resulting from or contributed to by an disease or ailment.” Kaitlyn believes himself to be in good health, but has a latent Parkinson’s disease. Later an accidental blow activates the disease into a disabling condition.
Kaitlyn is covered by the policy without regard to his knowledge or understanding of the quoted language at the time of contracting.