MBE Contracts and Sales Flashcards
(44 cards)
3 Basic Contract Questions
- Has a contract been formed
- Has the contract been performed?
- What are the remedies for breach?
What is a contract? (basic)
legally enforceable agreement
Elements of a formed contract
mutual assent (offer and acceptance) PLUS consideration (MINUS defenses)
What types of contracts does common law govern?
services and real estate
What types of contracts does the UCC govern?
Goods
What happens in a MIXED contract?
- All or nothing rule - ONE universe must apply (unless divisible)
- Predominant purpose rule (ex: commissioning Andy Warhol to paint a portrait versus commissioning your roommate)
4 elements when asking whether an enforceable contract has been formed
ALL CONTRACTS DONT STINK Agreement - offer and acceptance Consideration Defenses Statute of Frauds
An agreement is comprised of….
offer and acceptance
Offer
manifestation of a willingness to enter into an agreement that creates a POWER OF ACCEPTANCE
Caterpillar!
What is the test for intent of an offer?
Does the offeror display an objectively serious intent to be bound
(humor and anger are NOT objectively serious intents)
Does an expression of opinion count as an offer?
no
Must an offer be directed at you for you to accept?
Yes, EXCEPT
- contest/reward offer (reward for missing pet)
What must an offer include at COMMON LAW (services and real estate)?
All essential elements must be included
- parties
- subject
- price
- quantity
What must an offer include at UCC (goods)?
ONLY essential term is quantity - will plug the gap for the rest
OK so UCC only requires quantity. What about requirements/output contracts?? Are they kosher?
They are specific enough - they provide a formula for calculation.
“I don’t know how many I need over the next 10 years, but I promise to buy all of them from you.”
“I don’t know how many I will make over the next 10 years, but I promise to sell all of them to you.”
4 requirements for an offer
- Objectively serious intent
- Offer is directed to the right person
- Offer is specific enough (diff for UCC and CL)
- Must give power of acceptance to the other side
2 common things that DONT give the power of acceptance to the other person (and therefore aren’t an offer)
- Invitations to deal - reserve final round of approval with the speaker
- Advertisements - seen as invitations to deal (unless they leave nothing open to negotiation - first come, first served usually so only 1 person can accept)
6 ways to terminate an offer (squashing the caterpillar)
- Offeror REVOKES by express communication
- Constructive revocation (offeror takes an action absolutely INCONSISTENT with continuing ability to contract and offeree knows about it)
- Offeree REJECTS the offer
- Offeree makes a COUNTEROFFER
- Offeror DIES (only for an offer - not a K!)
- Offer expires after a reasonable period of time
Note 4 kinds of irrevocable offers
Time frame for revoking an offer
Usually free to revoke at any time prior to acceptance…unless its an irrevocable offer
4 kinds of irrevocable offers
- When an option is purchased/separately considered
- Merchant’s Firm Offer (UCC)
- Unilateral contracts where performance has started
- Detrimental reliance
Merchant’s Firm Offer
- Must be in writing
- must contain an explicit promise to not revoke
- must be signed by the merchant
- Can last as long as stated, or a reasonable time, not to exceed 90 days
MFO must then be explicitly revoked by the merchant, unless a reasonable amount of time has passed
Unilateral Contract
Promise that requests acceptance by an ACTION (instead of a return promise) “I promise to pay you $100 if you paint my house”
- offeree has the right to finish if they begin since they can only accept by performance
Can the offeror of a unilateral contract sue the offeree for breach if they don’t complete the action?
NO! no agreement until performance is completed!
Contractor/subcontractor fact pattern is typical of…
detrimental reliance on a offer –> irrevocable