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Contract Law

Contract Law. Jody Blanke Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Law Mercer University, Atlanta. Contract Law As Private Law. Willing parties can agree to do most anything Freedom of contract “Meeting of the minds”. Private Law.

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Contract Law

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  1. Contract Law Jody Blanke Distinguished Professor of Computer Science and Law Mercer University, Atlanta

  2. Contract Law As Private Law • Willing parties can agree to do most anything • Freedom of contract • “Meeting of the minds”

  3. Private Law • Contract between Major League Baseball and the Players Association - Collective Bargaining Agreement (311 page PDF file) • “free agent” • “salary cap” • “luxury tax” • NHL (a league that used to play ice hockey in Canada and the U.S.)

  4. Uniform Commercial Code • Poster child of uniform laws • Adopted in 49½ states (La. has adopted parts of it) • Very successful • Facilitates the ease of doing everyday business

  5. Basic Requirements • An agreement between the parties • Consideration • Capacity • Legality

  6. Agreement – The Offer • Offeror must have intention to be bound by offer • e.g., kick the tire • Terms must be reasonably definite and certain • can be written, oral or implied • can come from prior dealings or usage of trade • Offer must be communicated to offeree • e.g., reward for lost dog

  7. Figurative “Death” of an Offer • “Natural causes” – lapse of time • “Suicide” – revocation • “Murder” – rejection • Counteroffer = rejection + offer • “Execution” – by operation of law • change in law terminates offer

  8. Literal Death of An Offer • The offeror dies • The offeree dies • Destruction of subject matter

  9. Acceptance • At common law – “mirror image rule” • UCC – more relaxed (and reasonable) • “battle of the forms” • Generally effective upon receipt • exception – “mailbox rule”

  10. Bilateral and Unilateral Contracts • Bilateral – a promise for a promise • e.g., Joe promises to paint Bill’s house and Bill promises to pay Joe $1000 • Unilateral – a promise for an act • e.g., Susan promises to pay $500 to the first person who scales the outside of the Business and Education Building • performance of the act is acceptance

  11. Consideration • Each party must provide something of value • Money, property, services, forebearance • e.g.,Hamer v. Sidway – the “rich uncle” case • Courts will not examine the adequacy of the consideration

  12. Capacity • Age – law protects minors • Voidable contract • Exception for necessaries • Mental competency • Void contract • Voidable contract • Intoxication

  13. Legality • Contracts must have a legal purpose • cannot take out a “contract” for that noisy neighbor • cannot purchase a gram of cocaine • gambling? • e.g.,Durado Beach Hotel v. Jernigan

  14. Genuiness of Assent • Duress – “gun to the head” • Undue Influence • Mistake • Unilateral – generally does not excuse performance • exception – if nonmistaken party knew of the mistake • Mutual – generally does excuse performance • no meeting of the minds

  15. Third-Party Rights • Each party receives certain rights or benefits in a contract • Each party undertakes certain duties or obligations • Generally, rights can be assigned to third parties • Generally, duties can be delegated to third parties • exception – when performance depends upon personal skills

  16. Statute of Frauds • “An oral contract is as legally valid as a written contract unless the law requires it to be in writing” • “…as good as…” if executed before 100 clergy people of all faiths willing to come to court and testify • Five Most Common Types of Contracts Covered by S/F • Contract to transfer an interest in real property • Contract that cannot be performed within 1 year • Contract to pay the debts of another • Contract made in contemplation of marriage • dowry agreement • prenuptial agreement • Contract for the sale of goods greater than $500 • UCC drafters recommend increase to $5,000

  17. Parol Evidence Rule • Court will not permit evidence of prior or contemporaneous oral statements if there is a complete written agreement • exception – ambiguities • Morals of the story • read the contract – get it in writing

  18. Integration Clause • “I have read the above agreement and understand that it represents the entire agreement between the parties.” • Morals of the story • read the contract – get it in writing

  19. Standard Form Contracts • Read them • Modify them • and get written approval from authorized representative • Use attachments if necessary • e.g., letters, memos, specifications • Ambiguities interpreted against the drafter

  20. Discharge of Contract • Discharge by performance • Discharge by agreement • Discharge by impossibility

  21. Discharge by Agreement • Mutual rescission • key word – “mutual” • Novation • new contract • Accord and satisfaction

  22. Discharge by Impossibility • Objective impossibility • e.g., the car got hit by a meteorite • Subjective impossibility • “It’s impossible for me to go through with that contract” • Performance may be discharged by the doctrine of commercial impracticability • e.g., school district milk case • key – was event “reasonably foreseeable?”

  23. Remedies – Money Damages • Compensatory damages • makes one “whole” under the contract • provides the “benefit of the bargain” • measure of damages is usually the difference between the value of the contract and the market value of what was actually received

  24. Remedies – Money Damages • Consequential damages • must be reasonably foreseeable • e.g.,Hadley v. Baxendale • often disclaimed by contract

  25. Mitigation of Damages • Nonbreaching party has duty to lessen the amount of damages • e.g., wrongful discharge • Anticipatory repudiation • Duty to “cover” • UCC § 2-712(2) – The buyer may recover from the seller as damages the difference between the cost of cover and the contract price together with any incidental or consequential damages

  26. Liquidated Damages • Actual amount of damages must be difficult to calculate • Amount specified must be a reasonable estimate of those damages • Must not be a penalty

  27. Equitable Remedies • Injunction • Quasi-Contract (Quantum Meruit) • Specific Performance • generally available for unique goods or property • not appropriate for personal services

  28. Choice of Law/Forum • Written contracts often contain choice of law and choice of forum clauses • These will generally be enforced as long as there is a connection to the state

  29. Promissory Estoppel • “Last ditch” remedy • Three requirements (Restatement of Contracts § 90) • A promise reasonably expected to induce action • Action by the promisee in justifiable reliance on the promise • Injustice can be avoided only by enforcing the promise • e.g.,Hoffman v. Red Owl Stores

  30. Unconscionability • “Last ditch” remedy • UCC remedy • The court “would not be able to sleep at night” • The court can fix an unconscionable contract • it can throw out the entire contract • it can throw out the unconscionable part of the contract • It can modify the contract to make it not unconscionable • Consumer remedy • e.g.,Frostifresh v. Reynoso • e.g.,PEPCO v. Westinghouse

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