LexisNexis合同法.docx

LexisNexis合同法.docx

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LexisNexis合同法

LexisNexis合同法

Chapter1

SOURCESANDDEFINITIONSOFCONTRACTLAW

§1.01WhatisaContract?

Acontractisformedinanytransactioninwhichoneorbothpartiesmakealegallyenforceablepromise.  Apromiseisacommitmentorundertakingthatagiveneventwillorwillnotoccurinthefutureandmaybeexpressorimpliedfromconductorlanguageandconduct.  Apromiseislegallyenforceablewhereit:

•wasmadeaspartofabargainforvalidconsideration;

•reasonablyinducedthepromiseetorelyonthepromisetohisdetriment;or

•isdeemedenforceablebyastatutedespitethelackofconsideration.

§1.02TypesofContracts

Contractmaybeofthefollowingtypes:

1）Express–anagreementmanifestedbywords

2）Implied-in-fact–anagreementmanifestedbyconduct

3）Implied-in-law（"quasi-contract"）–notatruecontractbutanobligationimposedbyacourtdespitetheabsenceofapromiseinordertoavoidaninjustice

§1.03SourcesofContractLaw

1）CommonLaw–inmostjurisdictions,contractlawisnotcodified,andthustheprimarysourceofgeneralcontractlawiscaselaw.

2）Restatement–writtenbytheAmericanLawInstitutetoprovideguidancetothebenchandbar,theRestatementofContracts（currentlyinthesecondedition）hasnolegalforcebutneverthelessprovideshighlypersuasiveauthority.

3）UniformCommercialCode（UCC）–createdundertheauspicesoftheAmericanLawInstituteandtheNationalConferenceofCommissionersonUniformStateLaws,hasbeenadoptedbyeverystateexceptLouisiana.  ProposedrevisionstoArticle2,governingcontractsforthesaleofgoods,havebeenfinalizedandpresentedtothestatesforenactment.

4）UnitedNationsConventiononContractsfortheInternationalSaleofGoods（CISG）–ratifiedbymanyoftheleadingtradingnationsincludingtheUnitedStatesandChina（butnottheUnitedKingdomandJapan）,itgovernsmanytransactionsforthesaleofgoodsbetweenpartieswithplacesofbusinessindifferentnations.

5）UNIDROITPrinciplesofInternationalCommercialContracts–non-bindingauthoritativetextsimilartotheRestatement.

6）UniformComputerTransactionsAct（UCITA）–addressesissuesarisingoutofcomputerlicensingbuthasonlybeenenactedinVirginiaandMaryland.

7）UniformElectronicTransactionsAct（UETA）–adoptedbymoststates,thisactdoesnotaffectbasiccontractdoctrinebutgovernstheuseofelectroniccommunications.  Itappliesto"transactions,"definedas"theconductofbusiness,commercialorgovernmentalaffairs."  Thus,itdoesnotgoverncontractssuchasthosebetweenfamilymembersorwithnon-profitinstitutions.

8）ElectronicSignaturesinGlobalandNationalCommerceAct（E-Sign）–thisfederallawallowsstatestopreemptitbyenactingtheUETA.

§1.04ContractsfortheSaleofGoods

[1]ApplicationofUCC

Article2oftheUniformCommercialCodecoversalltransactionsforthesaleofgoodsotherthansecurities（article9）andleases（article2A）.  Itappliestoanyparty;itisnotlimitedtomerchantsalthoughindividualprovisionsmaybe.

[2]"Goods"Defined

UndertheUCC,a"good"isanytangiblethingthatismoveable.  [UCC§2-105

（1）]  Inadditiontomanufacturedproducts,"goods"include:

•growingcropsortimber,unbornyoungofanimalsandotheridentifiedthingsattachedtoland（otherthanmineralsorthelikeorstructures）,regardlessofwhoseversthemfromthelandprovidedthattheycanberemovedwithoutcausingmaterialharmtotheland

•currencyexchangedasacommodity（asopposedtothemediumofpaymentforagood）

•mineralsorthelikeorastructureoritsmaterialstoberemovedfromrealtythataretobeseveredbytheseller

Theterm"goods"doesnotencompass:

•intangiblerightssuchasintellectualproperty

•investmentsecurities

•moneywhichisthemediumofpaymentforgoods

•mineralsorthelikeorastructureoritsmaterialstoberemovedfromrealtythataretobeseveredbythebuyer

[3]"Sale"Defined

UCC§2-106

（1）defines"sale"asthetransferoftitleforaprice.  Contractsthatinvolvebothgoodsandservicesmustbeevaluatedtoseewhichconstitutestheprimarypurposeofthecontract,withthesecondarypurposebeingtreatedasincidental.  Iftheprimaryfunctionofthecontractistoprovideaservice,theUCCdoesnotapply,evenifanincidentalsaleofgoodsoccurs.

[4]"Merchant"Defined

A"merchant"isone"whodealsingoodsofthekindorotherwisebyhisoccupationholdshimselfoutashavingknowledgeorskillparticulartothepracticesorgoodsinvolvedinthetransaction"orwhoemploysanagentorbrokerinsuchoccupation.  [UCC§2-104

（1）]

[5]"GoodFaith"Defined

Everycontractforthesaleofgoodsimposesanobligationofgoodfaithdealingonallpartiesinitsperformanceandenforcement.[UCC§1-203]  Allparties,includin