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P A R T P A R T Contracts Introduction to Contracts The Agreement: Offer The Agreement: Acceptance Consideration Reality of Consent 3 McGraw-Hill/Irwin Business Law, 13/e © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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P A R T P A R T Contracts Capacity to Contract Illegality Writing Rights of Third Parties Performance & Remedies 3 McGraw-Hill/Irwin Business Law, 13/e © 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Capacity to Contract PA E TR HC 14 “No brilliance is needed in the law. Nothing but common sense, and relatively clean fingernails.” John Mortimer
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Learning Objectives The meaning of capacity The classes of persons without capacity The rights to disaffirm or ratify The duties of disaffirmance 14 - 5
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Person must have ability to give consent before being legally bound to agreement, thus capacity is the ability to incur legal obligations and acquire legal rights A person who contracts without necessary capacity may avoid the contract at his/her option Definition 14 - 6
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Status incapacity refers to minors, factual incapacity includes those suffering from a mental disability and intoxicated persons Contract in which one party lacks capacity is voidable at the option of person lacking capacity Right to avoid a contract is disaffirmance Example: Stroupes v. The Finish Line, Inc. The Lack of Capacity 14 - 7
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Those who suffer from a mental illness may be disadvantaged in their ability to protect their interests in the bargaining process Thus, their contracts are void or voidable Test: Did the person have sufficient mental capacity to understand the nature and effect of the contract? Capacity & Mental Impairment 14 - 8
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Intoxication is a ground for lack of capacity only when it is so extreme that the person is unable to understand the nature of the bargaining process Note: courts are not sympathetic! Contracts of Intoxicated Persons 14 - 9
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Each party has duty to return to the other any consideration the other has given The incapacitated may be liable for damages See Dodson v. Schrader Incapacitated person generally required to pay reasonable value for necessities (required for survival) furnished to them Example: Young v. Weaver Was the apartment a necessity? Duties Upon Disaffirmance 14 - 10
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Ratification occurs when a person who reaches majority or is no longer suffering a mental disability or intoxication indicates either expressly or impliedly, that he intends to be bound by a contract made while incapacitated Ratification 14 - 11
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Test Your Knowledge True=A, False = B Capacity is the ability to know the details of the legal rights in a contract Ratification is the actual signature on the written contract Disaffirmance is the right to avoid a contract due to incapacity 14 - 12
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Test Your Knowledge True=A, False = B A minor’s right to disaffirm a contract ends on the day the minor achieves the age of majority Intoxicated persons are always allowed to disaffirm a contract Persons with a mental incapacity may disaffirm a contract, but cannot ratify the contract 14 - 13
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Test Your Knowledge Multiple Choice The “benefit rule” states that when a minor disaffirms a contract: (a) They have no further duties (b) Recovery of the full purchase price is subject to a deduction for the minor’s use of the merchandise (c) They have the duty to return the subject goods 14 - 14
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Test Your Knowledge Multiple Choice Ted just turned 17 years old. Emancipated from his parents, Ted bought a car from CarCo. Two weeks after he bought the car, Ted damaged it. Ted returned the vehicle to CarCo asking for a full refund. CarCo must : (a) Give Ted back the full amount (b) Pay Ted only the present value of the car (c) Pay Ted the purchase price less the current value of the car 14 - 15
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Thought Questions The requirement of capacity is rooted in ancient law. Should the law continue to protect minors and intoxicated persons? Why or why not? 14 - 16
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