mbe contracts Flashcards
formation: offer
- objective manifestation (reasonable person standard) of willingness to enter into an agreement
- creates the power of acceptance in the offeree
- specific terms; all essential terms covered
formation: revoking
- by person who made offer
- offer can be terminated by:
1. lapse of time
2. death or mental incapacity of offeror/offeree
3. destruction or illegality
4. revoked by the offeror before acceptance (expressly or constructively by taking action inconsistent with continuing k, selling car)
remember, while offers are generally freely revocable by the offeror, they MUST be rejected or else the offer is still open to the offeree. so if the offeror makes an offer, then sells the house to someone else, then offeree comes to buy the house he was still free to accept the offer
formation: rejecting
- by person who received offer
- counter offer rejects offer and is new offer
formation: revocation exceptions
- offers are revocable, unless
UCC
1. option k: if there is a promise to keep offer open for period of time (happens between non-merchants, lay people); i promise to keep option open for 3 days for additional consideration ($)
2. firm offer: looks like option, promise to keep offer open but offeror is merchant. needs to be in writing and signed by offeror. no consideration needed. max irrevocable for 3 mos or time stated; if no time stated, then 3 mos. after, becomes revocable
**COMMON LAW **
1. unilateral k: promise for performance. once performance begins, offer becomes irrevocable
2. **promissory estoppel **
acceptance: manifestation of intent to accept
- how to accept:
- any reasonable manner you chose
- words/actions manifesting intent
- EXCEPT if offeror specifies manner of acceptance
- COMMON LAW: acceptance must mirror terms of offer
- UCC: acceptance contains additional/different terms can still be treated as acceptance
- THERE IS STILL A CONTRACT AND AN OBLIGATION TO PERFORM ACCORDING TO A CONTRACT’S ORIGINAL TERM IF THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL TEMR WHICH THE OTHER PARTY OBJECTS TO
mailbox rule
- acceptance effective when sent, moment after you put letter in mail, you have deal
- rejection effective upon receipt
- if your first response is rejection, but then you send acceptance, the acceptance will control even if the rejection was received first
- if your first response is acceptance, and then rejection is sent and received, then a contract is formed unless there was detrimental reliance
mailbox rule does not apply in option k’s, can accept at any point in designated time period, even after rejection
consideration: bargained for exchange
things exchanged, market value of exchanged items do not matter (even a peppercorn)
consideration: gift
- promise to give a gift is not enforceable consideration
- giving of gift is enforceable, and you can not get it back
consideration: past/moral
- not enforceable
- you did a good deed on your own behalf, and after the act someone offers you consideration
third party beneficiary:
- two people make a k and someone else benefits
- the two people could be just exchanging promises to pay someone else
intended beneficiary
- original parties had intent to benefit the 3rd party beneficiary
- 3pb may have right against original parties
- may have rights when their rights vest
- before rights vest, parties can change their minds (cant be sued)
incidental beneficary
- someone claiming benefit, but deal was never intended to benefit
- incidental 3pb never has any rights
when do rights vest? 3 party beneficiaries
- when either or both parties notify beneficiary
- when beneficiary learns of intent and begins to rely on it
assignment
one party assigns away their rights in k
where there is a general assignment of an entire contract, it gives the delegatee the right to receive payment directly from the buyer provided that the delegatee delivers the goods
delegation:
one party delegates their duty under k
assignment and delegation rule
- generally, one can freely assign their right and delegate their duty to whomever, notice or consent unecessary
- if duty/right breached (non-performance/bad performance) you can sue the person who delegated duty/assigned right or the person they delegated the duty or assigned the right to, unless original parties entered into novation
- new person can not unilaterally change terms once duty delegates/right assigned, only getting duty and rights from original
k - under ucc, assignee cannot disproportionately alter the contemplated quantity
- although k rights freely assignable, when k rights assigned to party gratuitously (without receiving anything in exchange), assignor retains power to revoke the assignment unless and until assignee obtains performance from obligor
VVVVVVVVVVV
An exculpatory clause releases a party from liability for damages caused during the execution of the contract.
Such a clause would effectively release that party from liability for damages caused by a delegatee (someone to whom the work was delegated to) as well.
This goes against the controlling principle that a delegating party is not released from liability for damages caused by a delegatee unless the other party to the contract expressly agrees to a release.
assignment and delegation exception
- when nature of agremeent is unique (special personal service) can not delegate duty or assign right to someone else (even to someone at same level of expertise)
- if the k says, there shall be no assignment, any assignment is prohibited
- if assignment assigned anyways, assignment valid but owe damages for breaching promise
- if k says no delegation of duty, it is strictly construed and can not be delegated to anyone else
- if it says assignment/delegation VOID, anything connected is strictly construed, cant do it
defense: statute of frauds
- k’s need to be in writing, signed, id the parties, and contain essential elements of k
M=marriage
Y= contracts that cant be performed for less than 1 yr
L= land, conveyance of interest in land
E= executor, agreement to be executor of estate
G= gurantor/surety, guranteeing debt of another, if he does not pay i will pay
S= sale of goods for $500 or more
**XXXXXXXXXX*
distinctiong for land conveyances:
lease agreement and easements for less than a year are usually excluded from SOF, and thus can be enforceable without a signed writing
for gurantor/surety, the promise will not fall under SOF if prinicpal purpose of making gurantee was to benefit the promisor (person giving loan) and not the 3rd party debtor (person taking out loan), the inverse will make it covered under SOF
common law: statute of frauds exception
- part peformance= commonly applies in
1. land = interest in land. part performance= when you pay some part of purchase price (Down payment/deposit) and you take possession of property OR make improvement to property
parol evidence
after k formed, one party tries to admit oral evidence in k
The parol evidence rule generally bars the admission of prior or contemporaneous agreements that modify or contradict the terms of a written contract.
parol evidence: final integration
- complete/final agreement will have this language in k
- merger clause will have language
- it will say this shall be final agreement between parties, cannot be modified orally
- IF FINAL, NO PAROLE EVIDENCE ADMITTED, EXCEPT TO CLEAR UP AMBIGUITY
The canon of contract construction known as contra proferentem construes an ambiguous term’s meaning against the party who drafted the contract.
parol evidence: partial
- if facts do not tell you its final, by default its partially integreated k
- PAROL EVIDENCE ADMISSIBLE FOR CONSISTENT ADDITIONAL TERMS, BUT NOT FOR MATERIAL ALTERATION OR CONTRADICTING MATERIAL TERMS
Parol evidence always comes in when
- to prevent fraud/duress/mistake
- clear up ambiguity
- show condition precedent
- shows in sale of goods, custom or trade usage (to explain/supplement NOT contradict)
- whether writing is integrated and, if so, completely or partially
- ground for granting or denying remedy (eg, rescission, reformation)
- subsequent contract modifications
can only come in: raising defense to formation of k (mistake, misunderstanding, misrepresentation), defense to enforcement of k (incompetence, illegality, duress), separate deal, subsequent agreements, course of performance, course of dealing (previous transactions),
The canon of contract construction known as contra proferentem construes an ambiguous term’s meaning against the party who drafted the contract.
conditions
- something happens which relieves party of duty to perform
- look for unless, only if , on condition that