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Understanding Contracts, Second Edition (2009)

Jeffrey T. Ferriell, Professor of Law, Capital University Law School


Availability: In Stock
Publisher :Matthew Bender
Format: Softcover , BOOK
ISBN: 9781422428924
2004
  $39.00
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    This Understanding treatise is designed for first-year law students enrolled in Contracts. The text explains common law principles of contract law using cases and examples that students commonly encounter in this first-year course. It draws illustrations from the Restatement (Second) of Contracts, and from Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code as it has been adopted in all fifty states. This edition includes expanded material on the United Nations Convention on the International Sale of Goods, and the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, appropriate to a basic course in Contracts, and on modern statutes regarding electronic contracting.

    Understanding Contracts was written with the understanding that Contracts will be one of the most challenging courses first-year law students will take. It explains how key concepts apply in several recurring basic fact patterns. It then builds on those fact patterns to explain how the law is more difficult to apply in business transactions with more complex facts. A key feature of Understanding Contracts, that is not found in other similar books, is its conscious incorporation of basic explanations of the common business practices to which the law of contracts applies. The feature helps students, many of whom have not had any background in the business world, understand contract law in the business settings in which it frequently applies. The book also provides detailed topic headings that students can use to develop their own comprehensive course outline.

    Professors and adjunct professors may request complimentary examination copies of LexisNexis law school publications to consider for class adoption or recommendation. Please identify the book(s) you wish to receive, provide your institutional contact information, and submit your request here.

    CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION . . . . 1
    1.01 THE MEANING OF CONTRACT . . . . 1
    1.02 TYPES OF CONTRACTS . . . . . 8
    1.03 HISTORY OF CONTRACT LAW . . . . 21

    CHAPTER 2 CONTRACTS AS A LAW SCHOOL COURSE . . . . 27
    2.01 ORGANIZATION OF CONTRACTS COURSES . . . . 27
    2.02 STUDYING CONTRACTS . . . . 32
    2.03 SOURCES OF CONTRACT LAW . . . . 38

    CHAPTER 3 CONSIDERATION . . . . . 59
    3.01 ENFORCEABILITY OF PROMISES . . . . 59
    3.02 FORMAL ALTERNATIVES TO CONSIDERATION . . . 62
    3.03 THE ESSENCE OF CONSIDERATION THE BARGAINED-FOR EXCHANGE . . . . . 67
    3.04 PROMISES TO MAKE A GIFT . . . . . 74
    3.05 THE INSIGNIFICANCE OF THE RELATIVE VALUES OF A BARGAINED-FOR EXCHANGE . . . . . 77
    3.06 PRETENSE OF CONSIDERATION . . . . . 82
    3.07 PRE-EXISTING DUTY RULE . . . . 88
    3.08 MORAL OBLIGATION: PROMISE IN RECOGNITION OF PAST BENEFIT . . . . . . 101
    3.09 ILLUSORY PROMISES . . . . 109
    3.10 CONSIDERATION IN GUARANTY CONTRACTS . . . . 116

    CHAPTER 4 PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL: DETRIMENTAL RELIANCE . . . . . . 119
    4.01 INTRODUCTION TO PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL . . . . 119
    4.02 ORIGINS OF MODERN DOCTRINE OF PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL . . . . . 122
    4.03 PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR CONSIDERATION . . . . . . . 129
    4.04 PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL AS AN INDEPENDENT CAUSE OF ACTION . . . . . 138
    4.05 REMEDIES FOR PROMISES ENFORCEABLE DUE TO RELIANCE . . . . . 143

    CHAPTER 5 THE PROCESS OF OBTAINING MUTUAL ASSENT - CREATING AN AGREEMENT . . . . 145
    5.01 INTRODUCTION TO MUTUAL ASSENT . . . . . . . 145
    5.02 OBJECTIVE THEORY OF CONTRACT FORMATION . . . . 146
    5.03 DETERMINING WHETHER AN OFFER HAS BEEN MADE . . . . 148
    5.04 ACCEPTANCE . . . . . 163
    5.05 MANNER OF ACCEPTANCE . . . . 170
    5.06 TIME WHEN ACCEPTANCE BECOMES EFFECTIVE . . . . . 192
    5.07 OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE IN AUCTION SALES . . . 200
    5.08 TERMINATION OF OFFERS . . . . 202
    5.09 IRREVOCABLE OFFERS . . . . . 210
    5.10 MIRROR IMAGE RULE AND THE BATTLE OF THE FORMS UNDER U.C.C. 2-207 . . . . . 222
    5.11 INDEFINITE TERMS AND AGREEMENTS TO AGREE . . . . 246

    CHAPTER 6 INTERPRETATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF CONTRACTS . . . . 261
    6.01 DETERMINING THE TERMS OF A CONTRACT . . . . 261
    6.02 INTERPRETING EXPRESS TERMS . . . . 263
    6.03 EFFECT OF MISUNDERSTANDING . . . . . 270
    6.04 USAGE OF TRADE, COURSE OF DEALING, AND COURSE OF PERFORMANCE . . . . . 272
    6.05 THE PAROL EVIDENCE RULE . . . . 274
    6.06 EXCEPTIONS TO THE PAROL EVIDENCE RULE . . . 289

    CHAPTER 7 IS A WRITING REQUIRED?: THE STATUTE OF FRAUDS . . . . . 293
    7.01 INTRODUCTION TO THE STATUTE OF FRAUDS . . . 293
    7.02 THE HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF THE STATUTE OF FRAUDS . . . . . 294
    7.03 WHICH CONTRACTS?: THE SCOPE OF THE STATUTE OF FRAUDS . . . . 298
    7.04 TYPE OF WRITING REQUIRED . . . . 309
    7.05 THE EFFECT OF PART PERFORMANCE AND RELIANCE . . . . . 313
    7.06 U.C.C. 2-201: SATISFYING THE STATUTE IN CONTRACTS FOR THE SALE OF GOODS . . . . . . 319
    7.07 CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE TO SATISFY THE STATUTE . . . . 334
    7.08 ELECTRONIC CONTRACTING AND THE STATUTE OF FRAUDS . . . . 335

    CHAPTER 8 MODIFICATION OF CONTRACTS . . . . . 339
    8.01 AGREEMENTS TO MODIFY CONTRACTS . . . . . . 339
    8.02 CONSIDERATION REQUIRED . . . . . 340
    8.03 ACCORD AND SATISFACTION . . . . . 347
    8.04 WRITTEN MODIFICATION REQUIRED . . . . . . . 352
    8.05 WAIVER AND ESTOPPEL . . . . 354

    CHAPTER 9 WARRANTIES . . . . 357
    9.01 INTRODUCTION TO CONTRACT WARRANTIES . . . 357
    9.02 EXPRESS WARRANTIES AS TO QUALITY OF GOODS . . . . . 359
    9.03 IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY . . . . 369
    9.04 IMPLIED WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE . . . . . 376
    9.05 IMPLIED WARRANTY OF GOOD TITLE AND AGAINST INFRINGEMENT . . . . . 380
    9.06 IMPLIED WARRANTY OF THE HABITABILITY OF RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE . . . . . 383
    9.07 DISCLAIMERS OF WARRANTIES . . . . . 387
    9.08 DEFENSES TO CLAIMS FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY . . . . 398

    CHAPTER 10 CONDITIONS AND THE ORDER OF PERFORMANCE . . . . 411
    10.01 INTRODUCTION TO CONDITIONS . . . . . 411
    10.02 THE MEANING AND EFFECT OF CONDITIONS . . . 415
    10.03 DISTINGUISHING CONDITIONS FROM PROMISES . . . . 421
    10.04 CLASSIFYING CONDITIONS . . . . . 425
    10.05 CONDITIONS REQUIRING SATISFACTION OR APPROVAL . . . . 429
    10.06 AVOIDANCE OF CONDITIONS . . . . 431

    CHAPTER 11 SUBSTANTIAL PERFORMANCE AND MATERIAL BREACH . . . . . 447
    11.01 EFFECT OF PERFORMANCE . . . . . 447
    11.02 THE EFFECT OF BREACH: MATERIAL BREACH, SUBSTANTIAL PERFORMANCE AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP TO CONSTRUCTIVE CONDITIONS . . . . . 449
    11.03 EFFECT OF BREACH IN CONTRACTS FOR GOODS . . . . . 461
    11.04 REJECTION, ACCEPTANCE, AND REVOCATION OF ACCEPTANCE IN CONTRACTS FOR GOODS . . . . 466
    11.05 BREACHING PARTY'S RIGHT TO CURE . . . . . . 475
    11.06 ANTICIPATORY REPUDIATION . . . . . 478
    11.07 PROSPECTIVE INABILITY TO PERFORM AND THE RIGHT TO ADEQUATE ASSURANCE OF PERFORMANCE . . . . . . . 490

    CHAPTER 12 CONTRACT DEFENSES . . . . . 495
    12.01 INTRODUCTION TO CONTRACT DEFENSES . . . . . 495
    12.02 CONTRACTS UNENFORCEABLE DUE TO CONFLICT WITH PUBLIC POLICY; ILLEGAL CONTRACTS . . . . . 497
    12.03 INCAPACITY . . . . . 509
    12.04 OBTAINING ASSENT IMPROPERLY; FRAUD, DURESS, AND UNDUE INFLUENCE . . . . 519
    12.05 UNCONSCIONABILITY . . . . . 539
    12.06 DUTY OF GOOD FAITH . . . . 549

    CHAPTER 13 EXCUSE: MISTAKE AND CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES . . . . 555
    13.01 INTRODUCTION TO EXCUSE . . . . 555
    13.02 MISTAKE . . . . . 557
    13.03 CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES: IMPOSSIBILITY, IMPRACTIBILITY, AND FRUSTRATION OF PURPOSE . . . . . 570
    13.04 REMEDIES FOR CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCES . . . . . . 585
    13.05 MISTAKE AND CHANGE OF CIRCUMSTANCE UNDER THE CISG AND UNIDROIT PRINCIPLES . . . . . 590

    CHAPTER 14 REMEDIES: EXPECTATION DAMAGES . . . . . . 593
    14.01 REMEDIES IN GENERAL . . . . . 593
    14.02 DAMAGES BASED ON THE INJURED PARTY'S EXPECTATIONS . . . . . . . 597
    14.03 CAUSATION . . . . . 600
    14.04 LIMITS ON DAMAGES: FORESEEABILITY . . . . 601
    14.05 LIMITS ON DAMAGES: MITIGATION . . . . 608
    14.06 LIMITS ON DAMAGES: REASONABLE CERTAINTY . . . . 616
    14.07 LIMITS ON DAMAGES: ATTORNEY FEES AND LITIGATION COSTS . . . . . 617
    14.08 REMEDIES IN CONTRACTS FOR GOODS - BREACH BY THE SELLER . . . . 618
    14.09 REMEDIES IN CONTRACTS FOR THE SALE OF GOODS - BREACH BY THE BUYER . . . . 629
    14.10 REMEDIES IN CONTRACTS FOR REAL ESTATE . . . . 639
    14.11 DAMAGES IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS . . . . . 642
    14.12 EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS . . . . . 649

    CHAPTER 15 RELIANCE AND RESTITUTION . . . . . 651
    15.01 RELIANCE AND RESTITUTION AS ALTERNATIVES TO EXPECTATION DAMAGES . . . . 651
    15.02 DAMAGES BASED ON THE RELIANCE INTEREST . . . . . 654
    15.03 LIMITATIONS ON RELIANCE DAMAGES . . . . . 661
    15.04 RESTITUTION IN GENERAL . . . . . 665
    15.05 RESTITUTION AS AN ALTERNATIVE REMEDY FOR BREACH . . . . 668
    15.06 RESTITUTION RECOVERY FOR THE BREACHING PARTY . . . . . 674
    15.07 RESTITUTION WHEN CONTRACT IS UNENFORCEABLE . . . . . 678
    15.08 RESTITUTION WHERE NO CONTRACT EXISTS: QUASI-CONTRACT . . . . . 680

    CHAPTER 16 AGREED REMEDIES . . . . . 683
    16.01 AGREED REMEDY PROVISIONS IN GENERAL . . . 683
    16.02 LIMITED REMEDY PROVISIONS . . . . 684
    16.03 LIQUIDATED DAMAGES . . . . 690
    16.04 ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION . . . . . . 700

    CHAPTER 17 EQUITABLE REMEDIES . . . . 703
    17.01 DEVELOPMENT OF EQUITABLE REMEDIES IN THE COMMON LAW SYSTEM . . . . 703
    17.02 TYPES OF EQUITABLE REMEDIES . . . . . 705
    17.03 INADEQUACY OF THE REMEDY AT LAW: EQUITABLE JURISDICTION . . . . . 708
    17.04 BALANCING THE EQUITIES: PRACTICALITY AND FAIRNESS . . . . . 716
    17.05 EQUITABLE REMEDIES IN INTERNATIONAL TRANSACTIONS . . . . . . . 720

    CHAPTER 18 THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES . . . . . 721
    18.01 RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES GENERALLY . . . . 721
    18.02 TYPES OF THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARIES . . . . 725
    18.03 DEFENSES AGAINST THIRD PARTY BENEFICIARY CLAIMS . . . . 735
    18.04 PROMISEE'S RIGHT TO ENFORCE THE CONTRACT . . . . 740
    18.05 BENEFICIARY'S RIGHTS AGAINST THE PROMISEE . . . . 740

    CHAPTER 19 ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS AND DELEGATION OF DUTIES . . . . . 743
    19.01 INTRODUCTION TO ASSIGNMENTS AND DELEGATIONS . . . . 743
    19.02 ASSIGNMENT OF RIGHTS AND DELEGATION OF DUTIES DISTINGUISHED . . . . . 745
    19.03 ASSIGNABILITY OF RIGHTS . . . . . 752
    19.04 EFFECTIVENESS OF ASSIGNMENTS . . . . 756
    19.05 ASSERTING DEFENSES AGAINST AN ASSIGNEE . . . . . 762
    19.06 PRIORITY AMONG COMPETING ASSIGNEES . . . . 772
    19.07 LIMITATIONS ON DELEGATING DUTIES . . . . . 773
    19.08 EFFECT OF DELEGATION . . . . 778

    Table of Cases . . . . TC-1
    Table of Statutes . . . . TS-1
    Index . . . . . . . I-1

     

     

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