...order to advise Billy in whether he is entitled to the extra $20,000 and a share in the farm, the key facts and relevant issues must be examined to determine if the elements of a legally binding contract exists. Whether there was an agreement and intention to create legal relations between the two will be used to determine whether Choy has breached a contract between the two. If a contract is found to exist, then the terms must be examined against the facts of the case and the aspects of consideration and promissory estoppel will be considered. a) Are the elements of a contract present in the initial agreement? To determine whether Billy has a right to the extra payment and share in the farm, it must be decided whether the agreement between Choy and Billy is classified as legally binding or not. Three main prerequisites for a valid contract are relevant to this issue: agreement (offer and acceptance), intention to create legal relations and consideration. Choy’s request that Billy give up his tertiary studies for one year to work on the farm for a payment of $30,000 and a share in the farm has the characteristics of an offer, as Choy had the intention to bind his promise if Billy were to accept. There was a firm promise and proper communication was directed at Billy only. Choy’s request can be distinguished from an “invitation to treat” as Billy could not make an initial offer in response, he could only accept, reject, or make a counter offer. The nature of Billy’s...
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...Optional Question 1: Scenario (Facts of the case) You are employed as a legal executive in a firm of solicitors. A client (Mr Ben) has come and seeking advice on several claims and legal issues, which have recently arisen. You are required to write a legal report for the following claims: Alan is a qualified accountant and his father Ben, who owns a small business, a bookshop which specialises in acquiring and selling rare books. He recently saw an advertisement in a specialist book magazine for a first edition copy of the only book written by Bruce. The advertisement, which had been placed by Chris, stated that it was ‘on offer for $1,000. Ben phoned Chris stating that he would buy the book for $750. Chris replied that he would sell it for $900. Ben then said he would need time to think about buying the book at that price. Chris agreed not to sell the book to anyone else until Ben phoned him back in three days time with his final decision. On the same day, Dan came into Ben’s shop and asked if he had any first edition copies of the Bruce book and told him that he was willing to pay $1,500 for one. Ben agreed to sell a Bruce first edition to Dan and immediately phoned Chris to say that he would accept his original asking price of $1,000. However, Chris informed him that he had already sold the book to Eve for $1,250. Subsequently, Ben wrote to Eve offering her another rare book for $1,000. Eve replied to Ben by return of post stating that she agreed to buy...
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...Elements of the law of contract Catharine MacMillan Richard Stone 2009 LLB 2650040 Diploma in Law 2690040 page 2 University of London External System This subject guide was prepared for the University of London External System by: u Catharine MacMillan BA (Victoria) , LLB (Queen’s, Canada), LLM (Cantab), Lecturer in Law, School of Law, Queen Mary, University of London and u Richard Stone LLB (Soton), LLM (Hull), Barrister, Professor and Head of Law, Lincoln Law School, University of Lincoln. In the 2004 edition of this guide Catharine MacMillan was primarily responsible for Chapters 1–2, 4–5, 7–8, 10–14 and 16–17. Richard Stone was primarily responsible for Chapters 3, 6, 9 and 15. Catharine MacMillan was responsible for the 2009 revision. This is one of a series of subject guides published by the University. We regret that owing to pressure of work the authors are unable to enter into any correspondence relating to, or arising from, the guide. If you have any comments on this subject guide, favourable or unfavourable, please use the form at the back of this guide. Acknowledgements Figure 15.1 has been reproduced by kind permission of: u Figure 15.1: © Illustrated London News Picture Library. Photographs © C. MacMillan, 2003 Publications Office The External System University of London Stewart House 32 Russell Square London WC1B 5DN United Kingdom www.londonexternal.ac.uk Published by the University of London Press ©...
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...13 MBA 16 – Business Law & Practice Module 01 - Law of Contract Coverage of: • Law of Contract: Definition, Essentials • Types of Contracts • Offer – Definition & Essentials • Acceptance - Definition & Essentials • Consideration – Definition & Essentials, Exceptions • Capacity of Parties • Free Consent • Quasi Contract • Legality of Object • Performance of Contract – Termination of Contract – Remedies for Breach of Contract Case Studies 1 The Indian Contract Act, 1872 The Indian Contract Act consists of the following two parts: General principals of the Law of Contracts – covered under section 1 to 75; the principles apply to all kinds of contracts irrespective of their nature Special kinds of contracts – covered under section 124 to 138 ; These special contracts are Indemnity & Guarantee (u/s124 to 147), Bailment & Pledge (u/s148 to 181) and Agency (u/s 182 to 238) in Chapter X – refer next Module 2) Section 76 to 123 – repealed by Sale of Goods Act, 1930 (refer Module 4) • • Section 239 to 266 – Chapter XI has been repealed by the Indian Partnership Act , 1932 ( not being covered separately; but major issues under different modules) The act does not affect any usage or custom of trade (u/s 1) – these prevail if reasonable & not illegal; an unique feature of this Act – most important branch of business law Some of the contracts not dealt with by the this Act are those related to Partnership, Sale of Goods (refer module 4), Negotiable...
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...Formation of a Contract 3 Consideration and Promissory Estoppel 1. CONSIDERATION In general, agreements or promises are contractually binding in English law only if supported by consideration. The requirement of consideration means that each party must receive or be promised something in return for giving or promising something. Consideration is, therefore, the legal description of the element of exchange and its practical effect is to ensure that gratuitous promises are not binding whereas bargains are. So if A promises B £1000, B cannot enforce that promise because B has provided no consideration (nothing in exchange) for it. It is traditional to define consideration as a benefit to the promisor or a detriment to the promisee. So in Currie v Misa (1875) LR 10 Ex 153, 162 Lush J stated, ‘A valuable consideration, in the sense of the law, may consist either in some right, interest, profit, or benefit accruing to the one party, or some forbearance, detriment, loss, or responsibility, given, suffered, or undertaken by the other.’ This definition can be misleading unless one emphasises, in line with the need for an exchange, that the detriment to the promisee must be requested by the promisor. So if A promises B £1000 and B, in reliance on receiving that money, buys a car, that may constitute detrimental reliance by B but B has not thereby provided any consideration for A’s promise. In contrast, if A promises B £1000 in return for B’s car (ie A requests the car), B’s transfer of the car...
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...CHAPTER 1 LAW OF CONTRACTS 2 Business Law Including Company Law 1.1 NATURE OF CONTRACT [Sections 1–2] INTRODUCTION We enter into contracts day after day. Taking a seat in a bus amounts to entering into a contract. When you put a coin in the slot of a weighing machine, you have entered into a contract. You go to a restaurant and take snacks, you have entered into a contract. In such cases, we do not even realise that we are making a contract. In the case of people engaged in trade, commerce and industry, they carry on business by entering into contracts. The law relating to contracts is to be found in the Indian Contract Act, 1872. The law of contracts differs from other branches of law in a very important respect. It does not lay down so many precise rights and duties which the law will protect and enforce; it contains rather a number of limiting principles, subject to which the parties may create rights and duties for themselves, and the law will uphold those rights and duties. Thus, we can say that the parties to a contract, in a sense make the law for themselves. So long as they do not transgress some legal prohibition, they can frame any rules they like in regard to the subject matter of their contract and the law will give effect to their contract. WHAT IS A CONTRACT? Section 2(h) of the Indian Contract Act, 1872 defines a contract as an agreement enforceable by law. Section 2(e) defines agreement as “every promise and every set of promises forming...
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...INTRODUCTION TO THE LAW OF CONTRACT DEFINITION A contract may be defined as a legally binding agreement or, in the words of Sir Frederick Pollock: “A promise or set of promises which the law will enforce”. The agreement will create rights and obligations that may be enforced in the courts. The normal method of enforcement is an action for damages for breach of contract, though in some cases the court may order performance by the party in default. CLASSIFICATION Contracts may be divided into two broad classes: 1. Contracts by deed A deed is a formal legal document signed, witnessed and delivered to effect a conveyance or transfer of property or to create a legal obligation or contract. 2. Simple contracts Contracts which are not deeds are known as simple contracts. They are informal contracts and may be made in any way – in writing, orally or they may be implied from conduct. Another way of classifying contracts is according to whether they are “bilateral” or “unilateral”. 1. Bilateral contracts A bilateral contract is one where a promise by one party is exchanged for a promise by the other. The exchange of promises is enough to render them both enforceable. Thus in a contract for the sale of goods, the buyer promises to pay the price and the seller promises to deliver the goods. 2. Unilateral contracts A unilateral contract is one where one party promises to do something in return for an act of the other party, as opposed to a promise, eg, where X promises...
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...INTRODUCTION TO THE LAW OF CONTRACT DEFINITION A contract may be defined as a legally binding agreement or, in the words of Sir Frederick Pollock: “A promise or set of promises which the law will enforce”. The agreement will create rights and obligations that may be enforced in the courts. The normal method of enforcement is an action for damages for breach of contract, though in some cases the court may order performance by the party in default. CLASSIFICATION Contracts may be divided into two broad classes: 1. Contracts by deed A deed is a formal legal document signed, witnessed and delivered to effect a conveyance or transfer of property or to create a legal obligation or contract. 2. Simple contracts Contracts which are not deeds are known as simple contracts. They are informal contracts and may be made in any way – in writing, orally or they may be implied from conduct. Another way of classifying contracts is according to whether they are “bilateral” or “unilateral”. 1. Bilateral contracts A bilateral contract is one where a promise by one party is exchanged for a promise by the other. The exchange of promises is enough to render them both enforceable. Thus in a contract for the sale of goods, the buyer promises to pay the price and the seller promises to deliver the goods. 2. Unilateral contracts A unilateral contract is one where one party promises to do something in return for an act of the other party, as opposed to a promise, eg, where...
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...Contract Remedies for Breach of Contract and Quasi-contract Agency PAGE 2-10 11-22 23-34 35-49 50-62 63-72 73-81 82-99 SALES OF GOODS ACT Sales of Goods Act CONSUMER PROTECTION ACT Consumer Protection Act NEGOTIABLE INSTRUMENT ACT Negotiable Instrument Act THE PARTNERSHIP LAW The Partnership Law THE COMPANIES ACT 1956 & COMPANIES LAW 2013 Companies Act 1956: Types of Company and Its Characters 101-127 129-140 142-167 169-191 193-211 Companies Act 1956: Memorandum, Article of Association and 212-239 Prospectus Companies Act 1956: Share Capital Companies Act 1956: Meeting Companies Act 1956: Management of the Company Companies Act 2013 240-275 276-302 303-340 341-364 THE CYBER LAW 2000 & AMENDMENTS IN 2008 CASES 0 MODULE-1 INDIAN CONTRACT ACT 1872 Chapters 1. Nature and Kind of Contracts 2. Offer and Acceptance of an Offer 3. Capacity of Parties and Consideration 4. Void Agreement and Contingent Contract 5. Performance of Contract 6. Discharge of a Contract 7. Remedies for Breach of Contract and Quasi-contract 8. Agency 1 The Indian Contract Act 1872: Nature and Kind of Contracts Learning Objectives In this chapter, students will come to know What is an agreement and a contract? What are the essential elements of a contract? Types of contracts. 1.1 SCOPE OF THE ACT The Indian Contract Act was passed and implemented to control various kinds of commercial and business contracts. The preamble of the Contract Act states...
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