分析contract合同法讲义

分析contract合同法ContractDefinition:anagreementbetweentwoormorepartiescreatingobligationsthatareenforceableorotherwiserecognizableatlaw.Contractscancoveranextremelybroadrangeofmatters.CISGName:UnitedNationsConventiononContractsfortheInternationalSaleofGoodsCISGFourParts:Generalprovisions,includingrulesonthescopeofitsapplicationsandrulesofinterpretation.Theformationofcontracts.CISGFourParts:3.Therightsandobligationsofbuyersandsellers.4.ProvisionsfortheratificationandtheentryintoforceoftheConvention.TransactionscoveredinCISG:

Internationalsaleofgoods:thebuyerandthesellermusthavetheirplacesofbusinessindifferentstates.&TransactionscoveredinCISG:

Either(1)bothofthestatesmustbecontractingpartiestotheconventionor;(2)Therulesofprivateinternationallawmustleadtotheapplicationofthelawofacontractingstate.TransactionscoveredinCISG:

Optinginandout：Thepartiestoacontractmayexcludeormodifyitsapplicationbyachoiceoflawclause.TheymayalsousethesameclausetoexcludeadomesticlawandadoptCISGinitsplacedependsontherulesofthestatewherethecaseisheard.KeyIssue#1–TypesofContracts

A.Basedonthetypeofevidencenecessarytoestablishthecontract:Anexpresscontractiscreatedbytheparties’words,eitheroralorwritten.Animpliedcontractiscreatedbytheparties’conducts.KeyIssue#1–TypesofContracts

B.Basedontheobligationsnecessarytoestablishthecontract:Bilateralcontract(双务合同):Thepartiesexchangepromisestodosomefutureact.Unilateralcontract(单务合同):onepartyactsimmediatelyinresponsetotheoffer.KeyIssue#1–TypesofContracts

Quasi-contract（准合同）isanequitableremedythatapplieswhenevertheapplicationofcontractlawyieldsanunfairorinequitableresult.Quasi-contractisgovernedbyequitableconcepts.Itprotectsagainstunjustenrichment(不当得利).KeyIssue#2–ApplicableLaw

UCCArt2appliesonlytoasaleofgoods(“goods”aremoveable,personalproperty)Thecommonlawappliestoallothercontracts.Formixedcontracts----lookforthemoreimportantelements.Icontracttobuyaparcelofland.AhiresBtobabysithiskids.EastAirlinesagreestosell4DC-9’stoUnitedAirlinesfor$60million.TomagreestosellhispenciltoTimfor$1.Marybuysthebook“GuidetoLegalEnvironmentofBusiness”,whichincludesafreeclass.QuestionsKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Lookfor3Stages:Whetherthereisanoffer(要约);Whethertheofferhasbeingterminated(终止)insomeway;Whethertheofferhasbeingaccepted.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

FirstStage:offerAnofferisamanifestation(表示)ofanintentiontobebound,createdbywordsorconduct.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Whataretherequirementsforanoffer?ClearexpressionofcontractualintentionDefinitecontenttobecontainedinacontract(itneedstospecifythequantity,theprice,andwhocanaccept)Successfulcommunicationtotheofferee(受要约人)KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Aninvitationtooffer（要约邀请）：Itissimplyanexpressionofwillingnesstoenterintonegotiationswhichmayleadtotheformationofacontractatalaterdate.QuestionsAuctionannouncement.Offer?KFCadvertisesinthePost:“Incredibleoffer!Breakfastspecialfor$2.49.”Offer?3.Selleragreestosellbuyeracarforareasonableprice.Offer?KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

SecondStageofAgreementProcess:TerminationofOfferEffectanoffercannotbeacceptedifithasbeenterminatedKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

FourMethodstoTerminate：LapseofTime(时效终止)Offeror’sRevocation（撤回）Offeree’sRejection(拒绝)DeathofEitherPartybeforeAcceptanceKeyIssue#3–ContractFormationLapseofTimeNoacceptancewassentbeforetheofferexpires.Exle:OnMay15,IoffertosellJaneabikefor$500.MyofferprovidesthatitwillterminateonMay30.CanJaneacceptmyofferonJune2?KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation2.Offeror’sRevocationDirectrevocationastatementbytheofferortotheoffereeindicatingunambiguouslythattheofferorhaschangedhermind(butdonothavetoexplicitlyusetheword“Irevoke”or“revocation”)IndirectrevocationconductbytheofferorunambiguouslyindicatingachangeofmindANDthattheoffereeisawareofthatKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation2.Offeror’sRevocationRevocationofanofferisonlyeffectiveifitisreceivedbeforeacceptance.RevocationiseffectivethedayoffereereceivedIt.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation2.Offeror’sRevocationGenerally,theofferorcanrevokeatanytimebeforeacceptance.Foursituationswhereanoffercannotberevoked:Option--

apromisetokeeptheofferopenthat’spaidfor

Detrimental

Reliance--

reasonableandforeseeable

Part

Performance--

enteraunilateralcontract

FirmOfferunderArt2--

Asigned,writtenpromisebyamerchanttokeepanofferopenKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation2.Offeror’sRevocationFirmofferunderCISGCISG:thepromiseofirrevocabilitydoesnothavetobesigned,doesnothavetobeinwritingandthereisnotimelimitation.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation3.Offeree’sRejectionRejectbyexplicitwords.Rejectbyacounteroffer(反要约),butnotabargaining.Rejectbyaconditionalacceptance.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation3.Offeree’sRejectionExle:AofferstosellacartoBfor$5000.Bresponds,“Iwillonlypay$4900.”counterofferBagreesontheconditionthatheistheonlyofferee.aconditionalacceptanceKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation4.DeathofEitherPartybeforeAcceptanceTheofferisterminatedatthetimeofone’sdeath.Itdoesnotmatterwhethertheotherpartyknowsaboutitornot.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

ThirdStage:Acceptance(承诺)Acceptance:astatementorconductbytheoffereeindicatingassentthatiscommunicatedtotheofferor.Generally,silenceorinactivitydoesnotconstituteacceptance.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Theconditionsofacceptance:Anacceptancemustbemadebeforetheofferexpires.Theacceptancemustbeunconditionalandabsolute,withthesamecontentsastheoffer.Theacceptancemustbemadebyoffereetoofferor.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Whenisanacceptanceeffective?Generally,acceptancemustbereceivedbytheofferorwithinthetimeperiodspecifiedintheoffer.Ifnotimeperiodisgiven,acceptancemustbereceivedwithinareasonabletime.Iftheofferisoral,theacceptancemustbemadeimmediately,unlessthecircumstancesindicateotherwise.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Whenisanacceptanceeffective?Whentheofferorreceivedtheletterofacceptance.Iftheofferorasksforperformanceofanact,theacceptanceiseffectiveatthemomenttheactisperformed.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Withdrawal:Becauseanacceptanceisnormallynoteffectiveuntiltheofferorreceivesit,anoffereemaywithdrawhisacceptanceatanytimebeforeorsimultaneouswithitsreceipt.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Rejection:Arejectionbecomeseffectivewhenitreachestheofferor.Ifanoffereeweretodispatchbotharejectionandanacceptance,theonethatreachedtheofferorfirstwouldbetheonegiveneffect.QuestionsP456,Q3P456,Q4KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

DefensesAgainstFormation:Arguingthatthereissomedefects(缺陷)intheagreementprocess.LackofCapacitytoContract(缺乏行为能力)Duress（胁迫）Misrepresentation（重大误解）MistakeIllegalityKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

LackofCapacitytoContractUnder18(minor)IntoxicatedMentallyincompetentAnincapacitatedpartyhastherighttodisaffirm(avoid)thecontractKeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

2.DuressDuress:wrongfulcoercionthatinducesapersontoenterormodifyacontract.Usually,duressoccurswhenapersonisinducedtoenteracontractbyathreatofphysical,emotional,oreconomicharm.Inthesecases,thecontractisconsideredvoidableattheoptionofthevictim.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Economicduress,orbusinesscompulsion,aretermscommonlyusedtodescribesituationsinwhichonepersoninducestheformationormodificationofacontractbythreateninganotherperson’seconomicinterests.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

3.MisrepresentationAmisrepresentationisanassertionthatisnotinaccordwiththetruth.Whenapersonentersacontractbecauseofhisjustifiablerelianceonamisrepresentationaboutsomeimportantfact,thecontractisvoidable.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Ifonehasfullinformationanddisclosesonlypartoftheinformation,butleadstheonewithwhomhecontractstobelievehehasmadefulldisclosureanddoesthiswiththeintenttodeceive,heisguiltyoffraudiftheotherreliesonthemisrepresentation.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Whenfactsareaccessibleonlytoonepartyandnottheotherthroughobservationandcarefuljudgment,thefirstisboundtodisclosethesefactsandmakethemknowntotheother–Silence/failuretocorrectaknownmisrepresentationconstitutesfraudwhenthesilentpartyhassuperiorknowledgethantheinnocentperson.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

4.MistakeIncontractlaw,amistakeisabeliefaboutafactthatisnotinaccordwiththetruth.Themistakemustrelatetofactsastheyexistatthetimethecontractiscreated.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Mutualmistakeofmaterialexistingfactatthetimeoftheagreement----theresultingcontractcanbeavoided.Materialfact(重要事实)：A

materialfact

isanoccurrence,event,orinformationthatissufficientlysignificanttoinfluenceanindividualintoactinginacertainway,suchasenteringintoacontract.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Theremustbemutualmistakeaboutwhatsomethingisorwhethersomethingexist,butnotamistakeastomarketvalue.Unilateralmistake---youarestuckwiththeresult,thisisnotafatalflaw,aslongastheotherpartyisnotawareofthemistake.KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

5.IllegalityIllegalagreementswillbeclassifiedintothreemaincategories:(1)agreementsthatviolatestatutes,(2)agreementsthatviolatepublicpolicydevelopedbycourts,and(3)unconscionableagreementsandcontractsofadhesion.（显失公平）KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

Tom(25-year-old)makesanagreementtosellhisbiketo17-year-oldMaryfor$270.Tombreaches.CanMaryenforcetheagreementagainsthim?Samefacts,exceptthatMarybreaches.CanTomenforcetheagreementagainstMary?Samefacts,exceptthatMarytoldTomshewas18.CanTomenforcetheagreementagainstMary?KeyIssue#3–ContractFormation

4.Sellerusuallysellsumbrellasfor$3.Whenitrains,Sincreasesthepriceto$10.Duringastorm,Buyeragreestobuyanumbrellafor$10.BuyerpaysSeller$10&receivesanumbrella.Afterthestorm,canBgetanymoneybackfromSonthegroundofduress?

5.TomcontractedtosellhishometoMaryfor$3million.Neitherwasawarethatafirehaddestroyedthehouse2daysearlier.IsMarybound?

KeyIssue#4–TermsoftheContractParolEvidenceRule(口头证据规则):Itkeepsoutevidenceofw