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ES 2 UNDERSTAND CONTRACT LAW. Obj. 2.02 Understand terminating, transferring, and breaching a contract. Terminating a Contract. Discharge by performance Discharge by agreement Discharge by impossibility of performance Discharge by operation of law. Discharge by Performance. Complete
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ES 2 UNDERSTAND CONTRACT LAW Obj. 2.02 Understand terminating, transferring, and breaching a contract.
Terminating a Contract • Discharge by performance • Discharge by agreement • Discharge by impossibility of performance • Discharge by operation of law
Discharge by Performance • Complete • All terms have been carried out properly and completely. • Time • Court will honor time request, if it is deemed “of the essence.” • If not mentioned in contract, then a reasonable time will be assumed.
Satisfactory • Law requires that services be completed in a satisfactory manner. • Reasonable person test • Would a reasonable consider the work to done in satisfactory manner? • Substantial • Slightly less than full performance • Must meet the following rules: • Acted in Good Faith • Completed Major Components of Contract • Only Minor Details Incomplete.
Tender of Performance • Tender – Offer to Perform • Must make tender even if you know the other party will not perform their part of the contact.
Discharge By Agreement • Mutual Release (Rescission) • Each side releases the other side from the contract. • Accord and Satisfaction • Substitute one contract for another.
Discharge By Impossibility of Performance • Death or Disability • Only allowed in Personal service contracts. • What is personal service? • Photographer • Artist • Any other contract must be completed.
Destruction of subject matter • If the subject matter is essential to the contract then it will be discharged. • Performance becomes illegal • Any illegal contract is void.
Discharge by Operation of Law • Wrongful Alteration • Any altering or changing of a contract will discharge parties to the agreement. • Statute of Limitations • Individual states have a time limit on lawsuits to be filed. • What is the only crime/tort that doesn’t have a time limit?
Discharge by Operation of Law • Bankruptcy • Debtors can be discharged from contracts after filing for bankruptcy.
Transferring a Contract • Assignment • Delegation • Novation
Assignment • Legally transferring your RIGHTS in a contract. • Assignor – party who transfers the right. • Assignee – party to whom the right is transferred. • No consideration needed. • Must not change the obligations in the contract. • Must be a RIGHT not a DUTY. • Assignor is responsible for contract fulfillment.
Delegation • Transfer a duty. • Delegating party is still responsible for the contract being fulfilled. • Contracts that CANNOT be delegated: • Promise to perform service personally. • Exercise of personal skill or judgment. • Contract prohibiting delegation.
Novation • Replacing a party to a contract with a new one. • The other terms to the contract remain the same.
Breaching a Contract • Wrongful failure to perform one or more promises in a contract. • Anticipatory Breach • Notified that a party to the contract will not fulfill their part of the contract prior to the required time of fulfillment. • Lawsuit may be filed early in this case. Exception to the rules: Refusal to pay money owed at a future date.
Remedies for Breach • Acceptance of Breach • Accept the breach of contract and discharge the other party without asking for damages. • Why? • Rescission and Restitution • Canceling the contract and returning anything that has been received
Money Damages • Actual – Damages DIRECTLY related to breach. • Compensatory – Award only for injuries suffered nothing more. • Consequential – Damages that DO NOT flow directly from breach. • Incidental – Reasonable expenses that INDIRECTLY from breach of contract. • Liquidated – Anticipated damages agreed prior to contract being signed. • Nominal – Award to proved legal injury but no actual damages caused. • Punitive – Damages in excess of losses suffered in order to punish party for breach. • Speculative – Damages awarded not on fact but on expectations from contract fulfillment.
Specific Performance • Ask court to order the other party to do what they agreed to do. • Subject matter must be unique in nature. • Which of the following is unique? • Real Estate • Stocks of General Electric • ’65 Ford Mustang with 44,000 miles • A brand new Ford F-150 • Dozen Eggs
Injunction • Court order that prevents a party from performing an act. • Temporary or permanent. • Violators are in contempt of court.