CONTRACTS, Fall 2006
Prof. Warner
906-5340
rwarner@kentlaw.edu
Text: Available in two forms: an electronic casebook, and in xerox in the bookstore.
W eb Site: There is a web site—w ww .kentlaw .edu/classe s/rwarner/contacts--for th e
course. It offers online lectures and tutorials. Please complete these m aterials
before coming to the class on the topic for which they are assigned.
Mid-term exam ination: There is one multiple choice, open book midterm exam.
The m idterm exam grade w ill count for 10% of your grade.
Final examination: Mu ltiple choice a nd essay--op en b ook. The final will count for
90% of your grade.
Attendance policy: You are allowed three unexcu sed absen ces. If you have m ore
than three unexcused absences, your grade may be reduced by ½ a grade or mo re,
dep end ing on the nu mber of ab sences.
Timeliness: You will be at class on time, prepared to begin instructio n a t th e time
set for the class. Arriving late may coun t as an unex cuse d absence.
Participation policy: You will be prepared to answer questions.
prepared may a ffect yo ur grade ad versely.
Failure to be
Office hou rs: I a m typically at the la w school five days a week. Come by any
time. I usua lly can make tim e to talk to you. If not, we can arrange another time.
You can ca ll or e-m ail me to make sure that I am available. I also try to respond as
promptly as possible to e-m ailed questions.
What you need to know and be able to do for the exam:
Black letter rules
You must know , and be able to state accura tely, the b lack letter rules.
You must know the purpose behind the rule.
These two tasks are sim ply mem ory tasks. The m aterial on the course
web site is inten ded to he lp you with th is task.
Application of the rules
You mu st be able to apply rules to facts to draw a legal conclusion.
Th is requires knowledge of the purpose of the rule. That is what
guides your app lication to the facts. On e of the main points of class
time is to learn how to ap ply rules to facts.
Leg al ana lysis
You must be able to rea d a complex fact pattern that pres ents various
legal questions and determine which rules you need to apply to answer
those que stio ns. You must be able to determ ine the logical order in
wh ich you sh ould organize your discussion .
I. Consideration
W hat promises does the law enforce?
Tutorial: Consideration 1 and Consideration Overview
Dou gh erty v. Sa lt
Linder v. Mid-Continent
Understanding the bargain theory:
Tutorial: Consideration 2
Nominal consideration:
Schn ell v. Nell
Illusory promises:
Tutorial: Consideration 3
Wickham v. Burton Coal
The implied promise solution:
Tutorial Consideration 4
Laclede Ga s Co. v. Am oco
Wood v. Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon
UCC 2-306
The pre-existing duty rule:
Tutorial: Consideration 5
Gray v. Martino
2
De Cicco v. Schweizer
Lingenfelder v. Wainwright
Angel v. Murray
UCC 2-209
Th is material will not be covered in class; you are responsible for
learning it on you r own using th e reso urce s on the w eb site.
Giv ing up a leg al cla im
Tutorial: Consideration 6
Newm an & Snell's State Bank v. Hunter
Springstead v. Nees
Mullen v. Hawkins
Past
consideration
consideration:
and
moral
obligation
Tutorial: Consideration 7
Jones v. Jones
Mills v. Wym an
Web b v . McG ow in
Harrington v. Taylor
This concludes the material not covere d in class.
Consideration as a lega l detrim ent or benefit:
Hamm er v. Sidway
3
as
Devecmon v. Shaw
II. Interpretation
Tutorial: Interpretation
Objective intent
Embry v. Hargadine
Hypothetical Intent
Spau lding v. M orse
Trade Usage
Berwick & Sm ith Co. v. Salem Press
Implied promises
UCC 2-314
UCC 2-315
III. Remedies
The expectation measure:
Tutorial: Rem edies 1
Hawkins v. McGee
Tutorial: Rem edies 2
Rockingham County v. Luten Bridge
Parker v. 20th Century Fox
Foreseeability doctrine:
Tutorial: Remedies 16
Ha dley v. Bax en da le
4
UCC 2-715(2)
Buyer's remedies under the UCC:
Tutorial: Rem edies 3 - 4
UCC §2-712 - §715
Seller's remedies under the UCC:
Tutorial: Rem edies 5
UCC §2-706, §2-708
The “lost volum e” seller:
Tutorial: Rem edies 6
Neri v. Retail Marine Corp.
This material will not be covered in class, and will not be on any
examination. It is provided for background if you are interested.
Overhead and profit:
Tutorial: Remedies 7
Vitex v. Caribtex
Proving da ma ges w ith "reasonable certainty":
Tutorial: Rem edies 8
Freund v. Washington Sq uare Press
Rambola v. Cosindas
Reliance damages:
Tutorial: Rem edies 9
Security Stove v. Am erican Express
5
Beefy Trail v. Beefy King
L. Albert & Son
Liquidated damages:
Tutorial: Remedies 10
Truck Ren t-A-Center v. Puritan Farms
Lake River Corp. v. Carborundum
Specific performance:
Tutorial: Remedies 11
Londo n Buck et Co. v. Stewa rt
UCC §2-716
Laclede Ga s Co. v. Am oco
UCC §2-709
Cost of completion:
Tutorial: Remedies 12
Peevyhouse v. Garland Coal & Mining Co.
Jacobs & Young v. Kent
City School District of Elmira v. McLane Construction
Restitution:
Tutorial: Remedies 13
Osteen v. Johnson
IV. Problems of performance
Sub stantial perform anc e (restitution an d recission ):
Tutorial: Remedies 14
6
Kreyer v. Driscoll
O. W. Grun Roofing & Construction v. Cope
United States v. Alg erno n B lair
Oliver v. Cam pb ell
UCC §2-601
UCC §2-508
UCC §2-612
Excuse:
Tutorial: Remedies 15
Iron Trade P roducts v. W ilkoff
K & G Con struction v . Harris
Walker & Co. v. Harrison
Anticipatory repudiation:
Hochster v. De La Tour
Ha thaw ay v. Sa bin
UCC §2-607 - §2-611
V. Splitting the losses
Impracticability:
Tutorial: Impracticability and Frustration
Ta ylor v. Cald well
Transatlantic Financing Corp. v. United States
United States v. Wegematic Corp.
Frustration:
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Krell v. Henry
Apportioning the losses:
UCC 2-615
Albre Ma rble & Tile Co. v. Joh n Bowen C o.
Mistake:
Mutual mistake:
Griffith v. Bymer
Sherwood v. Walker
Wood v. Boyton
Unilateral mistake:
Elsinore Union Elem entary School Dist. v. Kastoroff
White v. Berenda n M esa W ater Dist.
Transcription mistakes, jokes, amb iguities:
Travelers Insurance Co. v. Bailey
Lucy v. Zehmer
Raffles v. Wichelhaus
Oswald v. Allen
VI. Offer and Acceptance
Tutorial: Offer and Acceptance 1
The ma ilbox rule:
Ad am s v. Lind sell
Lewis v. Browning
Lonergan v. Scolnick
8
What counts as an offer and as a revocation:
Tutorial: Offer and Acceptance 2 and 3
Lefkowitz v. Great M inneapolis Surplus Store
Akers v. Sedberry
Dickenson v. Dodds
Petterson v. Pattberg
Ways of accepting and rejecting:
Tutorial: Offer and Acceptance 4
Davis v. Jacoby
Klockner v. Green
Carhill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co.
Tutorial: Offer and Acceptance 5
Drennan v. Star Paving Co.
Shrink Wrap an d Browse W rap Cases
ProCd v. Zeidenberg
Specht v. Netscape
Promissory Estoppel and Silence As Accep tance:
Hoffman v. Red Owl Stores
Cole-McIntyre-Norfleet Co. v. Holloway
Day v. Caton
The Mirror-Imag e Rule and the Battle of Forms:
Ardente v. Horan
Poel v. Brunswick-Balke-Collender
9
UCC 2-207
Dorton v. Collins & Aikman Corp.
Itoh & Co. v. Jordan Int'l Co.
VII. W ritten Contra cts
Statute of frauds:
No reading
Parol evidence:
The Basic Rule
Tutorial: Parol Evidence 1
Mitchel v. Lath
UCC 2-202
Scope and Complete Integrations
Tutorial: Parol Evidence 2
Lee v. Seagram & Sons
Ways Around the rule
Tutorial: Parol Evidence 3
Hicks v. Bush
Lusk corp. v. Bu rgess
Green River Val. Foundation, Inc. v. Foster
International Milling Co. v. Hachmeister
Dan na n R ealty v. Ha rris
Tutorial: Offer and Acceptance/Parol Evidence Review
Reasonable expectations:
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Johnson v. United Investors Life Ins. Co.
Gerhardt v. Continental Ins. Co.
VIII. Unconscionability and related doctrines
Incapacity, duress, and und ue influence:
Post v. Jones
Unconscionability:
Williams v. Walker-Thomas Furniture Co.
Henn ingsen v. Bloom field Mo tors
UCC 2-302
Toker v. Westerman
Exculpatory clauses:
Weaver v. American Oil Co.
UCC §2-316
UCC §2-719
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