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Contract Law (University of Oxford)
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Contract Law
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Table of Contents
1. CONTRACT FORMATION ......................................................................................... 8
1.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 8
MIRROR APPROACH......................................................................................................................................8
WHAT IF THERE IS NO CONTRACT? ..................................................................................................................8
1.2 OFFER .................................................................................................................................. 8
DEFINITION .................................................................................................................................................8
EXAMPLES ...................................................................................................................................................8
WHAT ARE NOT OFFERS?...............................................................................................................................9
REVOCATION OF OFFER .................................................................................................................................9
1.3 INVITATION TO TREAT............................................................................................................. 10
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................10
WHAT ARE INVITATIONS TO TREAT?...............................................................................................................10
EXCEPTIONS ..............................................................................................................................................10
RATIONALISING THE INCONSISTENCIES............................................................................................................11
1.4 INVITATION TO TENDER........................................................................................................... 11
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................11
GENERAL RULE ..........................................................................................................................................11
EXCEPTIONS ..............................................................................................................................................11
1.5 ACCEPTANCE ........................................................................................................................ 12
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................12
CORRESPONDENCE WITH OFFER ...................................................................................................................12
MADE IN RESPONSE TO THE OFFER ................................................................................................................13
IS MADE BY AN APPROPRIATE METHOD..........................................................................................................13
COMMUNICATION OF ACCEPTANCE ...............................................................................................................14
1.6 UNILATERAL CONTRACTS ......................................................................................................... 16
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................16
CONTRAST TO MUTUAL CONTRACTS..............................................................................................................16
ACCEPTANCE OF UNILATERAL CONTRACTS ......................................................................................................16
REVOCATION OF OFFER OF UNILATERAL CONTRACT .........................................................................................17
1.7 UNCERTAINTY AND INCOMPLETENESS ......................................................................................... 17
INCOMPLETENESS .......................................................................................................................................17
UNCERTAINTY ............................................................................................................................................18
1.8 INTENTION TO CREATE LEGAL RELATIONS .................................................................................... 19
OBJECTIVE TEST .........................................................................................................................................19
PRESUMPTION OF ICLR IN COMMERCIAL CONTEXTS ........................................................................................19
PRESUMPTION AGAINST ICLR IN NON-COMMERCIAL CONTEXTS ........................................................................20
2. CONSIDERATION ....................................................................................................21
2.1 DEFINITION .......................................................................................................................... 21
2.2 REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................................... 21
2.3 FORMS OF VALID CONSIDERATION ............................................................................................. 21
NOMINAL CONSIDERATION...........................................................................................................................21
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EXISTING CONTRACTUAL DUTY TO THIRD PARTY..............................................................................................22
PRACTICAL BENEFIT ....................................................................................................................................22
2.4 THINGS THAT ARE NOT CONSIDERATION ...................................................................................... 22
PROMISE OF PERFORMANCE THAT IS OBLIGATED BY STATUTE ............................................................................22
ACTS PRIOR TO THE PROMISE .......................................................................................................................22
PROMISE TO PERFORM EXISTING CONTRACTUAL DUTY .....................................................................................23
PROMISE TO PERFORM A LESS THAN CONTRACTUAL DUTY ................................................................................24
3. PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL.........................................................................................25
3.1 DEFINITION .......................................................................................................................... 25
3.2 REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................................... 25
A CLEAR AND UNEQUIVOCAL PROMISE ...........................................................................................................25
DETRIMENTAL RELIANCE ON THE PROMISE ......................................................................................................25
EXISTING CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP ..........................................................................................................25
CLEAN HANDS ............................................................................................................................................26
3.3 FEATURES ............................................................................................................................ 27
NOT A CAUSE OF ACTION .............................................................................................................................27
SUSPENSORY OR EXTINCTIVE? ......................................................................................................................27
3.4 OTHER ESTOPPEL VARIANTS..................................................................................................... 28
PROPRIETARY ESTOPPEL ..............................................................................................................................28
ESTOPPEL BY CONVENTION ..........................................................................................................................28
4. PRIVITY ...................................................................................................................29
4.1 DEFINITION .......................................................................................................................... 29
DISTINCTION FROM DOCTRINE OF CONSIDERATION..........................................................................................29
EXCEPTIONS TO RULE 1 ...............................................................................................................................29
EXCEPTIONS TO RULE 2 ...............................................................................................................................30
4.2 CONTRACT (RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES) ACT 1999 ........................................................................ 30
EXPRESS CONFERRAL...................................................................................................................................30
IMPLIED CONFERRAL ...................................................................................................................................30
VARIATION AND RESCISSION OF THIRD PARTY RIGHT TO ENFORCE......................................................................31
REMEDIES OF THE THIRD PARTY ....................................................................................................................32
DEFENCES AGAINST THIRD PARTY CLAIM ........................................................................................................32
RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES UNDER OTHER STATUTES ........................................................................................33
4.3 EURYMEDON PRINCIPLE .......................................................................................................... 34
HIMALAYA CLAUSES ....................................................................................................................................34
UNILATERAL CONTRACT WITH THIRD PARTY ...................................................................................................34
4.4 ENFORCEMENT FOR THIRD PARTIES............................................................................................ 35
GENERAL RULE ..........................................................................................................................................35
SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE ..............................................................................................................................35
JACKSON V HORIZON HOLIDAYS ....................................................................................................................35
ALBAZERO EXCEPTION .................................................................................................................................35
4.5 COLLATERAL CONTRACTS ......................................................................................................... 37
PRINCIPLE .................................................................................................................................................37
EXAMPLES .................................................................................................................................................37
4.6 DE MATTOS PRINCIPLE ........................................................................................................... 37
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Contract Notes All
Contract Law (University of Oxford)
Scan to open on Studocu
Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university
Downloaded by olinder seth ()
, lOMoARcPSD|59658805
Contract Law
Premium Notes
©lawprof.co
1
Downloaded by olinder seth ()
, lOMoARcPSD|59658805
Table of Contents
1. CONTRACT FORMATION ......................................................................................... 8
1.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 8
MIRROR APPROACH......................................................................................................................................8
WHAT IF THERE IS NO CONTRACT? ..................................................................................................................8
1.2 OFFER .................................................................................................................................. 8
DEFINITION .................................................................................................................................................8
EXAMPLES ...................................................................................................................................................8
WHAT ARE NOT OFFERS?...............................................................................................................................9
REVOCATION OF OFFER .................................................................................................................................9
1.3 INVITATION TO TREAT............................................................................................................. 10
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................10
WHAT ARE INVITATIONS TO TREAT?...............................................................................................................10
EXCEPTIONS ..............................................................................................................................................10
RATIONALISING THE INCONSISTENCIES............................................................................................................11
1.4 INVITATION TO TENDER........................................................................................................... 11
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................11
GENERAL RULE ..........................................................................................................................................11
EXCEPTIONS ..............................................................................................................................................11
1.5 ACCEPTANCE ........................................................................................................................ 12
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................12
CORRESPONDENCE WITH OFFER ...................................................................................................................12
MADE IN RESPONSE TO THE OFFER ................................................................................................................13
IS MADE BY AN APPROPRIATE METHOD..........................................................................................................13
COMMUNICATION OF ACCEPTANCE ...............................................................................................................14
1.6 UNILATERAL CONTRACTS ......................................................................................................... 16
DEFINITION ...............................................................................................................................................16
CONTRAST TO MUTUAL CONTRACTS..............................................................................................................16
ACCEPTANCE OF UNILATERAL CONTRACTS ......................................................................................................16
REVOCATION OF OFFER OF UNILATERAL CONTRACT .........................................................................................17
1.7 UNCERTAINTY AND INCOMPLETENESS ......................................................................................... 17
INCOMPLETENESS .......................................................................................................................................17
UNCERTAINTY ............................................................................................................................................18
1.8 INTENTION TO CREATE LEGAL RELATIONS .................................................................................... 19
OBJECTIVE TEST .........................................................................................................................................19
PRESUMPTION OF ICLR IN COMMERCIAL CONTEXTS ........................................................................................19
PRESUMPTION AGAINST ICLR IN NON-COMMERCIAL CONTEXTS ........................................................................20
2. CONSIDERATION ....................................................................................................21
2.1 DEFINITION .......................................................................................................................... 21
2.2 REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................................... 21
2.3 FORMS OF VALID CONSIDERATION ............................................................................................. 21
NOMINAL CONSIDERATION...........................................................................................................................21
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EXISTING CONTRACTUAL DUTY TO THIRD PARTY..............................................................................................22
PRACTICAL BENEFIT ....................................................................................................................................22
2.4 THINGS THAT ARE NOT CONSIDERATION ...................................................................................... 22
PROMISE OF PERFORMANCE THAT IS OBLIGATED BY STATUTE ............................................................................22
ACTS PRIOR TO THE PROMISE .......................................................................................................................22
PROMISE TO PERFORM EXISTING CONTRACTUAL DUTY .....................................................................................23
PROMISE TO PERFORM A LESS THAN CONTRACTUAL DUTY ................................................................................24
3. PROMISSORY ESTOPPEL.........................................................................................25
3.1 DEFINITION .......................................................................................................................... 25
3.2 REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................................... 25
A CLEAR AND UNEQUIVOCAL PROMISE ...........................................................................................................25
DETRIMENTAL RELIANCE ON THE PROMISE ......................................................................................................25
EXISTING CONTRACTUAL RELATIONSHIP ..........................................................................................................25
CLEAN HANDS ............................................................................................................................................26
3.3 FEATURES ............................................................................................................................ 27
NOT A CAUSE OF ACTION .............................................................................................................................27
SUSPENSORY OR EXTINCTIVE? ......................................................................................................................27
3.4 OTHER ESTOPPEL VARIANTS..................................................................................................... 28
PROPRIETARY ESTOPPEL ..............................................................................................................................28
ESTOPPEL BY CONVENTION ..........................................................................................................................28
4. PRIVITY ...................................................................................................................29
4.1 DEFINITION .......................................................................................................................... 29
DISTINCTION FROM DOCTRINE OF CONSIDERATION..........................................................................................29
EXCEPTIONS TO RULE 1 ...............................................................................................................................29
EXCEPTIONS TO RULE 2 ...............................................................................................................................30
4.2 CONTRACT (RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES) ACT 1999 ........................................................................ 30
EXPRESS CONFERRAL...................................................................................................................................30
IMPLIED CONFERRAL ...................................................................................................................................30
VARIATION AND RESCISSION OF THIRD PARTY RIGHT TO ENFORCE......................................................................31
REMEDIES OF THE THIRD PARTY ....................................................................................................................32
DEFENCES AGAINST THIRD PARTY CLAIM ........................................................................................................32
RIGHTS OF THIRD PARTIES UNDER OTHER STATUTES ........................................................................................33
4.3 EURYMEDON PRINCIPLE .......................................................................................................... 34
HIMALAYA CLAUSES ....................................................................................................................................34
UNILATERAL CONTRACT WITH THIRD PARTY ...................................................................................................34
4.4 ENFORCEMENT FOR THIRD PARTIES............................................................................................ 35
GENERAL RULE ..........................................................................................................................................35
SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE ..............................................................................................................................35
JACKSON V HORIZON HOLIDAYS ....................................................................................................................35
ALBAZERO EXCEPTION .................................................................................................................................35
4.5 COLLATERAL CONTRACTS ......................................................................................................... 37
PRINCIPLE .................................................................................................................................................37
EXAMPLES .................................................................................................................................................37
4.6 DE MATTOS PRINCIPLE ........................................................................................................... 37
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