Professional Documents
Culture Documents
01
Law of Contracts
Group no: 04
Date: - 2021.11.27
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
We would like to express our special thanks to Ms. P.G.M.S.K. Gamage who gave us the
excellent opportunity to do this report about Cases in Law of Contract. After doing this
report, we came to know about Law of Contract.
Secondly, we would also like to thank our friends and family members who helped us a lot
in finishing this report. Thanks again to all who helped us.
SUMMARY
This report presented on the law of contracts. This has been discussed some legal cases and
their decisions. It has also provided a clear understanding about that law case of contract.
We are confident that anyone can gain a clear understanding of the of the law of contracts
by studying this assignment.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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5. Intention to create legal relation .................................................................................................... 19
5.1- Commercial Agreement ........................................................................................................... 19
5.1.1- Esso Petroleum v Mardon [1976] QB 801 Court of Appeal .......................................... 19
5.1.2- Appieson v Littekewood ................................................................................................... 20
5.2- Domestic Agreement ................................................................................................................ 20
5.2.1- Jones v Padavatton [1969] 1 WLR 328 Court of Appeal .............................................. 20
6. Contractual capacity ....................................................................................................................... 21
6.1- Nash v Imman ........................................................................................................................... 21
6.2- Davies v Beynon- Harries ........................................................................................................ 21
7. Legal Object ..................................................................................................................................... 22
7.1- Parkinson v college of ambulance ........................................................................................... 22
7.2- Beresford v Royal Insurance ................................................................................................... 22
7.3- Everet v Williams ..................................................................................................................... 23
8. Genuineness of the consent ............................................................................................................. 24
8.1- Misrepresentation ..................................................................................................................... 24
8.1.1- Bisset v Wilkinson ............................................................................................................. 24
8.1.2- Dimmock v Hallet ............................................................................................................. 24
8.2- Mistake ....................................................................................................................................... 25
8.2.1- Counturier vs Hastle......................................................................................................... 25
8.2.2- Raffles vs Wickhouse ........................................................................................................ 25
8.2.3- Counday v Lindsay ........................................................................................................... 26
8.3- Undue Influence ........................................................................................................................ 27
8.3.1- Allcard v Skinner .............................................................................................................. 27
8.4- Terms of the contracts ............................................................................................................. 27
8.4.1- Conditions.......................................................................................................................... 27
8.4.2- Warranties ......................................................................................................................... 28
8.4.3- Innominate Term .............................................................................................................. 28
8.4.4- Exemption Term ............................................................................................................... 29
8.5- Discharge of contracts............................................................................................................... 30
8.5.1- Cutter v Powell.................................................................................................................. 30
8.5.2- Hadley v Baxendale .......................................................................................................... 31
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1. How to create a legal relation?
An agreement by itself does not constitute a legally binding contract. The need for the parties to
intend to generate legally enforceable obligations is a fundamental aspect in the formation of a
contract. There will be no contract unless the parties want for it to be a legally binding
agreement. Examples of Law cases in which an agreement can be reached,
1.1- Balfour v Balfour [1919]
Case
Mr. and Mrs. Balfour are a married couple that lived in Ceylon together (now Sri Lanka). In
1915, they vacationed in England. Due to her sickness, Ms. Balfour was diagnosed with
rheumatoid arthritis and doctors recommended her not to leave the country. Mr. Balfour had
to return to Sri Lanka for office business, but she was unable to travel. Mr. Balfour agreed to
send her £30 per month until she returned to Sri Lanka, and they both agreed. For a few
months, he transferred the money to his wife, but their marriage worsened, and he stopped
paying maintenance to her. Ms. Balfour filed a lawsuit against her husband in order to have
the oral agreement he had made enforced.
Held
-The arrangement was solely social+ domestic in nature.
-There is no legally binding agreement.
-no desire to strike a deal
-Husband-and-wife agreements are not legally binding.
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Held
The agreement was found to be binding by the Court of Appeal. The presumption does not apply
where a husband and wife are separating or have separated because the parties 'bargain hard' or
do not rely on 'honourable understanding,' according to Denning. They were totally separated in
this case, functioning as two contractual parties, with adequate evidence of an intention to be
bound. The conventional presumption does not apply in this circumstance.
Held
The lodger was also a party to the deal, therefore there existed a binding contract
notwithstanding the family tie. This disproved the notion that there was no purpose to form legal
ties.
2. The offer
If you're preparing to get into a contract, you'll need to know what an offer in contract law is. An
offer is a promise made by one party in exchange for the performance of another. To put it
another way, it's an invitation to enter into a contract on specific terms. Examples of Law cases
to offer,
2.1- Gunthing v Lynn
Case
The plaintiff in this case was a horse buyer who promised the seller that if the horse was lucky,
they would pay £5 more for it or buy another horse from him. The horse was not in the condition
that the plaintiff thought it was, and the parties disagreed on whether the seller was owed the
conditional payment indicated by the buyer.
Issue
The court had to make decisions on a number of topics. The most pressing question was whether
the buyer's offer to pay more for the horse if it was lucky could be regarded a valid offer for the
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purposes of the transaction. This would indicate whether or not the seller could rely on the
previously indicated payment. The court was specifically asked to determine whether the
expressions 'lucky' and 'purchase another horse' could be defined and held legally enforceable on
the parties.
Held
The condition of paying £5 more for the horse if it was lucky was ruled too ambiguous by the
court to form a binding contract between the parties. The terms of an agreement must be explicit
so that both parties are aware of the terms on which they are agreeing. As a result, the court
determined that the only component of the transaction that was sufficient was the £63 horse
purchase, which constituted the great majority of the legal agreement between the parties.
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proof of their sincerity. Lilli Carlill (Plaintiff) purchased a smoke ball and utilized it according to
the instructions. Plaintiff had the illness a few weeks after she started using the smoke ball.
Issue
Whether the advertisement in question was an invitation to treat or an offer.
Held
Plaintiff was entitled to 100 pounds when the Defendant's appeal was dismissed.
The Court recognizes that in the context of ambiguous advertisements, wording about payment
of a reward is usually a puff that has no legal meaning. Defendant, on the other hand, mentioned
a deposit of £1000 in their advertisement as a sign of their earnestness in this matter. The Court
determined that Defendant's commitment to award was a promise substantiated by their own
sincerity because they did so.
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2.5- Harris v Nickerson
Case
Nickerson was an auctioneer who advertised in the London papers that he would be selling
brewing ingredients, plants, and office furniture at auction in Bury St. Edmunds over the course
of three days. The complainant was a London-based commission broker who was present on the
auction's last day (on which it had been advertised that the office furniture, which he had
commission to purchase, would be sold). On the other side, Nickerson withdrew all of the
furniture lots on that particular day. Harris sought reimbursement from Nickerson for his
expenses and the time he wasted attending the auction, claiming that Nickerson's withdrawal of
the lots was a breach of contract formed by Nickerson's offer in the advertisement, which Harris
accepted by attending the auction.
Issue
The question was whether Nickerson's advertisement represented a legally binding offer of sale,
accepted by Harris's attendance at the auction and resulting in a concluded contract.
Held
No contract – held not liable
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wild birds is illegal under s.6 of the Protection of Birds Act 1954. D was charged with the crime
and found guilty. D filed a rebuttal to his conviction.
Issue
Was the advertisement a "offer for sale"?
Held
D's conviction was overturned. Because the words "offer for sale" were not included in the
advertisement, it was just an invitation to treat rather than an offer.
The Society claimed that the presentation of products constituted an offer, and that a customer
had accepted the offer by selecting a product/drug. According to the Pharmaceutical Society, the
Boots Cash Chemists had broken the terms of their contract due to a lack of pharmacist
supervision. (law of area- offer, invitation to treat)
Issue
Is it true that Boots made an offer?
Held
The point at which the sale occurs is evaluated by the court (point of contract formation). The
display of items on the shelves of a supermarket was essentially an encouragement to make
purchase offers. The customer makes the offer by bringing products up to the cash register (cash
register), not by picking an item off the shelf.
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could withdraw at any point before the auctioneer knocked down the hammer, indicating
acceptance.
Issue
Under contract law, what was the lawful character of the defendant's proposal and retraction?
Held
The court ruled in the defendant's favour. The defendant's bid was an unsolicited offer that was
withdrawn before being accepted. As such, there was no contract.
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Hold
Lord Langdale ruled that there was no legitimate binding contract between Hyde and Wrench. If
Hyde had taken the original offer, it might have been a contract.
3. The Acceptance
Only if the offer is still valid may it be accepted. Acceptance must be given when the offer is still
valid, that is, before it has expired, been withdrawn, or been refused. The offer cannot be
cancelled after it has been accepted. It becomes unstoppable. Examples of law cases to the
acceptance,
3.1- Felthouse vs Bindly
Case
Paul Felthouse and his nephew, John Felthouse, discussed the purchase of his horse. Following
their talk, Paul Felthouse drafted a letter stating that if he didn't hear from his nephew regarding
the horse within two weeks, he would consider the purchase completed and the horse would be
his. Because he was engaged with auctions, his nephew did not answer to this letter. The
defendant, Mr Bindley, was an auctioneer, and his nephew advised him not to sell the horse. He
did, however, accidentally sell the horse to someone else.
Hold
There was no contract, thus it was held. Silence cannot be construed as acceptance.
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Held
The claimant was found to be correct by the Court of Appeal. In this case, the postal rule applied,
which meant that the claimant indicated their acceptance at the time the letter was mailed. It
didn't make a difference that the letter was never delivered.
Held
-No Contact
-The court ruled that Esche is entitled to his deposit back.
-No contract had been formally formed by Chillingworth's solicitors.
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4. Considerations
A bribe given in exchange for entering into a contract that is adequate to make the promise
enforceable in court. The technical criterion is either a disadvantage to the one who makes
the promise or a benefit to the other person.
Defendant later violated the deceased husband's proposal, and therefore the plaintiff filed a
lawsuit alleging breach of contract. Defendant argued that there was no agreement because
the claimant had no interest within the agreement. Defendant argued that the explanation for
this was that he was motivated to enter into the contract out of a way of ethical obligation to
the deceased husband.
Held
The supreme court ruled in favor of the claim. it's legally worthwhile for her to comply with
pay the rent and maintain the house. So, she took excellent care. Defendant's interest within
the home meant that he was also given excellent care. His intention to supply consideration is
irrelevant.
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Issue
Past performance given before a promise is created isn't good consideration
Held
This case lays down the final rule that past performance isn't good consideration and so a
promise to purchase past performance is gratuitous.
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4.4- Stilk v Myrick (1809) 2 Camp. 317
Case
A seaman contracted with the ship's captain is paid $ 5 /mth to sail to the Baltic and return.
Two of the ship's crew left. A seaman also promised to perform the duties of the departed
employees. The ship captain promised the crew that he would distribute the total salaries of
the workers who left the service for the service. Upon returning home, the ship's captain
refused to pay the promised extra wages, and also the seaman sued for breach of contract.
Issue
A promise to pay more for the performance of an existing contractual obligation isn't binding
for want of consideration
Held
The claimant already was obligated to figure the ship back to London and promised to handle
any emergencies that arose. As a result, he had given no consideration to the offer of further
funds. As a result, he wasn't entitled to anything.
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4.6- Hartley v Ponsonby [1857] 7 EB 872
Case
During a cruise, half a ship's crew deserted. If the remaining crew members worked the ship
and completed the cruise, the captain promised them extra cash. After that, the captain
refused to pay.
Held
The crew was entitled to the promised extra payment because they'd gone beyond their
previous contractual duties or because the voyage had become too dangerous, causing the
initial contract to be frustrated and leaving the crew liberated to negotiate a replacement
contract.
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Nestle said in a very statement that the typical price is 1 6d and three chocolate bars. The
court's question was whether the chocolate candy wrapping was a part of the consideration.
If they did, nestle wouldn't be able to determine the worth they represent, and thus wouldn't
believe their obligation to tell the common retail price. If the wrapper could be a mere token
or condition of sale instead of consideration, the ad is valid and Nestle can sell records.
Held
Wrapping was a part of the consideration because the goal was to extend sales. So, it had
been given value. This doesn't mean that the wrapper should simply be discarded. Chappell
was therefore granted an injunction. The sale of records to Nestle was prohibited under
Section 8 for non-compliance with notification requirements.
4.9- Dunlop pneumatic tire Co Ltd v Selfridge & Co Ltd [1915] AC 847
Case
Dunlop entered into an agreement to sell tires to Dew Selfridge, an intermediary in their
company. Under the agreement between Dunlop and Dew, Dew promised to pay Dunlop £ 5
per tire if the tire sale was but the listed price. Under the terms of the contract, Self-Fridge
promised to pay Dunlop £5 liquidated loss of tires if the tire sales were but the listed price.
Dunlop tried to say liquidated damages against Selfridge.
Issue
The contract rule is characterized as an extension of leadership when considering access to
privacy.
Held
Dunlop couldn't enforce the contract between Dew and Selfridge because it absolutely was
not attentive to it. There had been no consideration made by Dunlop and no consideration
given by Dew as an agent of Dunlop.
Contract law has three basic principles:
• A contract can only be sued by one in every of its parties.
• A principle not named within the contract may sue thereon if the promise actually
contracted as his agent, but he must have given consideration personally or through the
promise.
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4.10- Tweddle v Atkinson [1861] EWHC QB J57 Queen's Bench Division
Case
A couple was getting ready to tie the knot. the daddy of the bride and also the daddy of the
groom agreed to every pay the couple a specific amount of cash. The bride's father died
without having made a payment. The son's father died additionally, thus he was unable to
litigate over the agreement. The groom submitted a lawsuit against the will's executor.
Held
The claim failed. The groom wasn't a participant to the deal, so no money was transferred to
him. As a result, he was also unable to enforce the contract.
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5.1.2- Appieson v Littekewood
Case
A group of football players tried to demand money for a victory they had won in a football
pool. They also filed a complaint accusing the organizers.
Held
Further in the case study, the word ‘binding only to honor’ was affixed on each coupon. Those
words were enough for the court to refute the assumption. The plaintiffs failed
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6. Contractual capacity
Contractual capacity refers to a person's ability to enter into contracts, however it does not
apply to all people.
6.1- Nash v Imman
Case
A tailor supplied an infant with 11 fancy waistcoats, but the infant failed to pay. The child was
a student at a university. His father testified that the infant was suitably clothed for his station
in life.
Issue
Whether the goods so supplied fall into the category of necessary, If the answer is no, whether
the contract was enforceable at law? Who bears the burden of proving or disproving the need
for goods so supplied?
Held
The clothes were not necessary, and the infant was not responsible for their purchase. The fact
that minor has a sufficient allowance does not prevent him from contracting for necessaries on
credit.
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7. Legal Object
The thing that the party receiving the consideration has promised to do or not do is called the
contract's object.
7.1- Parkinson v college of ambulance
Case
Colonel Parkinson was approached by the secretary of the college of ambulance, who falsely
promised him that if he contributed to the college, he would be granted a kinghood. Parkinson
made contribution of $3000, but no kinghood was forthcoming. He brought an action to recover
his money.
Held
The contract was illegal since it was against public policy, and Parkinson couldn't continue
without reporting this, as well as his personal culpability. On its face, the donation was a gift,
and hence unrecoverable. It could only be explained as being part of a contract by disclosing
the consideration alleged to have been given for it, the promise of the kinghood. The plaintiffs
action could only have any force as being for breach of this contract, but since the contract was
illegal, the action had to fail. It was under such circumstance that the appellant became entitled
to the restitution of her deposit under section 66v of the contracts Act. On appeal, the Federal
Court said ‘An agreement discovered to be void’ does The contract is void upon discovery or
because of the revelation of an illegality. It signifies that the contract was void from the start
without the parties being aware of the exact legal situation at the time. The contract is only
afterwards discovered to be void.
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Held
The insurance company had pledged to pay the amount assured if Major Rowlandson
purposefully murdered himself while sane, according to the House of Lords' interpretation of
the contract. However, they then look at whether the contract was enforceable in law. Suicide
was established as a crime in English law at the time. The court referred to cases such as
Crippen’s case in which it was held that the estate of a man who murdered his wife could not
be benefit from his crime. Therefore, their Lordships refused to allow the administration to
claim the insurance on the grounds of public policy even though the contract was lawful.
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8. Genuineness of the consent
8.1- Misrepresentation
A misrepresentation occurs when one party makes a misleading statement of a material fact
that influences the other party's decision to enter into a contract.
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Held
The defendant was found to be correct by the court of appeals. The fact that the claimant had
placed a bid on the property was insufficient to prevent the sale. This was due to the auctioneer
informing attendees that anyone who was interested in bidding was welcome to do so. The fact
that the defendant had not heard this was irrelevant. By contracts, the misrepresentation as to
the possible rent obtainable from the land was a substantial misrepresentation which include
the defendant to enter the contract. The contract could be avoided on these ground.
8.2- Mistake
A contractual mistake is an incorrect conviction that certain facts are true.
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October, which was what the defendant had though for his Surat cotton delivery, but the
complainant was referring to the ship that was to leave in December. Mr Wichelhaus refused
to pay for the Surat cotton when it arrived in Liverpool, claiming it was months late.
Issue
The defendant was sued for breach of contract by the plaintiff. The question in this case was
whether the parties had entered into an enforceable contract.
Held
The contract between the complainant and the defendant was found to be unenforceable. There
was uncertainty in the peerless and what ship was being referred to while the contract was
being discussed, as well as no agreement on the conditions of the sale. There had been no ad
idem agreement or meeting of minds between the parties to constitute a legally enforceable
contract. The objective test made it clear that a reasonable person would not have been able to
identify with certainty what ship had been agrees on.
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8.3- Undue Influence
When one person has the ability to persuade another's decisions because of their relationship,
this is known as undue influence.
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out of 8,200 bags) was shipped in February and the rest in March. As a result, buyers refused
the goods.
Issue
Do buyers have the right to refuse the goods?
Held
The board found that the terms of the shipping time were part of the item description. In the
present case, the shipment of goods is considered to be a shipment in February. Accordingly,
the buyer has the right to refuse the goods in violation of the shipping time conditions.
8.4.2- Warranties
A warranty is a promise that is not a contract condition.
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Issue
the questions arose to whether the seaworthiness obligation constituted a condition of contract,
the breach of which entitles the party to repudiate. And whether the breach caused delays of a
sufficient degree so as to entitle the charterer to treat contract as repudiated.
Held
Firstly, the court held that in order to constitutes a condition precedent, the breach term, the
breach of which permits damages, depends on a holistic assessment of the contract’s
surrounding circumstance in determining the intention of the parties in their treatment of the
clause. On the facts, the court that the seaworthiness and maintenance clause was not viewed
as so fundamental so as to amount to a condition of the contract, but rather constitutes a term
allowing damages. Second, the court decided that an innocent party cannot treat a contract as
rejected because of a delay, no matter how serious, provided the breach does not result in the
contract being frustrated, rendering performance impossible. On the facts, the delays, albeit
serious and repeated, did not amount to a frustration of contract, but merely, a breach allowing
for damages.
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rooms, and the exclusion clause explicitly freed the hotel of all responsibility for stolen
property. Olley had also been contributorily negligent by leaving her key on the reception
board, according to the hotel.
Held
Olley's claim was successful, and she was able to recover the full amount of the stolen things.
The exclusion clause had not been successful incorporated into the contract because the
contract was concluded at reception, and When the guest entered the bedroom after the contract
was made, the notice purporting to disclaim liability was not visible.
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8.5.2- Hadley v Baxendale
Case
In the Claimant's mill, the crankshaft snapped. He hired the Defendant to deliver the crankshaft
to the shop where it would be fixed and then return it after it was finished. The crankshaft was
returned 7 days late due to the Defendant's negligence. During this time, the claimant was
unable to use the mill and filed a claim for lost profits. The defendant claimed that because he
was ignorant that the mill would have to close during the delay, the loss of earnings was
insignificant.
Held
The damages available for breach of contract include,
1. Those which may fairly and reasonably be considered arising naturally from the breach
of contract
2. Such damages as may reasonably be supposed to have been in the contemplation of
both the parties at the time contact was made.
If any unique conditions exist that were genuinely informed to the defendant, the claimant is
entitled to any damages that would normally result from a breach of contract under the special
circumstances notified.
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9. References
Casebriefs.com. 2021. Balfour v. Balfour | Case Brief for Law Students. [online]
Available at: <https://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/contracts/contracts-keyed-to-
calamari/the-agreement-process/balfour-v-balfour/> [Accessed 16 November 2021].
IPSA LOQUITUR. 2021. Payne v Cave - Case Summary - IPSA LOQUITUR. [online]
Available at: <https://ipsaloquitur.com/contract-law/cases/payne-v-cave/> [Accessed 16
November 2021].
https://www.casebriefs.com/blog/law/contracts/contracts-keyed-to-farnsworth/remedies-
for-breach/hadley-v-baxendale/
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