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Articles 1 - 30 of 48
Full-Text Articles in Law
Franchising Law In The United States Between Theory And Practice: Heads Up For Foreign Investors, Radwa Elsaman
Franchising Law In The United States Between Theory And Practice: Heads Up For Foreign Investors, Radwa Elsaman
Touro Law Review
As a dynamic vehicle for fostering investment opportunities, both domestically and internationally, franchising spans a diverse array of industrial sectors, encompassing both goods and services. The United States plays a highly influential role in global franchise industry promotion, with a vast majority of International Franchise Association members representing American companies. Present data underscores that franchising has extended its reach to virtually every sector of the American economy. Notably, the United States stands among just four common law nations that have established dedicated franchise legislation, operating at both state and federal levels. This framework includes provisions for pre-sale disclosure, registration of …
Atmed Treatment Ctr., Inc. V. Travelers Indem. Co., 285 A.3d 352 (R.I. 2022), Catherine R. Enos
Atmed Treatment Ctr., Inc. V. Travelers Indem. Co., 285 A.3d 352 (R.I. 2022), Catherine R. Enos
Roger Williams University Law Review
No abstract provided.
Demystifying Implied Terms, Marcus Moore
Demystifying Implied Terms, Marcus Moore
All Faculty Publications
Recent years have witnessed significant interest in demystifying the implication of contract terms. Whilst the discussion thus far has elicited some answers, the subject remains notoriously ‘elusive'. This article advances discussion in the field. It argues that underlying recent debates are deeper issues that must be brought to the surface. These include theoretical incoherence regarding the nature/purpose of implication tracing back to The Moorcock (1889), and analytical indeterminacy in applying the established ‘tests' for implication, as courts vary between conflicting instrumental and non-instrumental approaches. Feeding both issues is inconsistent linguistic use of core terminology. This article helps demystify implication by …
You’Ve Got To Have (Good) Faith: Good Faith’S Trajectory In Anglo-Canadian Contract Law Post-Wastech And The Potential For A Duty To Renegotiate, Vanessa Di Feo
You’Ve Got To Have (Good) Faith: Good Faith’S Trajectory In Anglo-Canadian Contract Law Post-Wastech And The Potential For A Duty To Renegotiate, Vanessa Di Feo
Dalhousie Law Journal
This paper argues that the organizing principle of good faith should be judicially developed to include a duty to renegotiate in situations of hardship. It looks to the French Civil Code and the UNIDROIT Principles for guidance, in addition to Canadian law’s receptibility to an incrementally expanded principle of good faith. Although the Supreme Court of Canada rejected hardship in the 2018 case of Churchill Falls (Labrador) Corp v Hydro-Québec, it did not forever close the door to this doctrine in Québec in situations of true financial peril. Given the “judicial dialogue” between Québec civil law obligations and Anglo-Canadian …
Designing And Enforcing Preliminary Agreements, Albert H. Choi, George Triantis
Designing And Enforcing Preliminary Agreements, Albert H. Choi, George Triantis
Articles
Preliminary agreements—variously labeled as memoranda of understanding, letters of intent, term sheets, commitment letters, or agreements in principle—are common in complex business transactions. They document an incomplete set of terms that the parties have agreed upon, while anticipating further negotiation of the remaining provisions. They often create legal obligations, particularly a duty to negotiate in good faith. This duty has been the subject of a substantial number of judicial opinions over the past few decades and yet continues to be regarded as a confusing and unpredictable issue in contract law. Legal scholarship is hamstrung in its analysis of the case …
The Standard Investment Agreement: Text And Comments, Philippe Kahn
The Standard Investment Agreement: Text And Comments, Philippe Kahn
Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law
No abstract provided.
Good Faith: Helping Commercial Parties Or Creating An Unnecessary Burden?, Ee-Ing Ong
Good Faith: Helping Commercial Parties Or Creating An Unnecessary Burden?, Ee-Ing Ong
Research Collection Yong Pung How School Of Law
One of the challenges facing Asian legal systems in the coming years is whether the courts should impose a general duty of good faith in contracts. The doctrine of good faith has been making inroads in various common law jurisdictions, most recently in Canada where the Supreme Court held in Bhasin v. Hrynew, 2014 SCC 71 that there was a duty of honest performance in all contracts. The idea behind imposing a duty of good faith in all contracts is to ensure that parties essentially “play fair” in contract negotiations and/or performance. However, is such a duty really necessary for …
A New And Old Theory For Adjudicating Standardized Contracts, Eric Mills Holmes, Dagmar Thürmann
A New And Old Theory For Adjudicating Standardized Contracts, Eric Mills Holmes, Dagmar Thürmann
Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law
No abstract provided.
Delaware’S Implied Contractual Covenant Of Good Faith And “Sibling Rivalry” Among Equity Holders, Daniel S. Kleinberger
Delaware’S Implied Contractual Covenant Of Good Faith And “Sibling Rivalry” Among Equity Holders, Daniel S. Kleinberger
Faculty Scholarship
An obligation of good faith and fair dealing is implied in every common law contract and is codified in the Uniform Commercial Code (“U.C.C”). The terminology differs: Some jurisdictions refer to an “implied covenant;” others to an “implied contractual obligation;” still others to an “implied duty.” But whatever the label, the concept is understood by the vast majority of U.S. lawyers as a matter of commercial rather than entity law. And, to the vast majority of corporate lawyers, “good faith” does not mean contract law but rather conjures up an important aspect of a corporate director’s duty of loyalty.
Nonetheless, …
Demand Promissory Notes And Commercial Loans: Balancing Freedom Of Contract & Good Faith, George A. Nation Iii
Demand Promissory Notes And Commercial Loans: Balancing Freedom Of Contract & Good Faith, George A. Nation Iii
George A Nation III
Promissory notes are ubiquitous in commercial lending. The promissory note represents the borrowers promise to repay and is governed by the Uniform Commercial Code’s Article 3. Under Article 3, promissory notes are either demand instruments or time instruments. In general, the holder of a demand instrument may decide to demand payment at any time and for any reason, while the holder of a time note must wait for payment until the arrival of the specific repayment date or dates included in the note. For this reason, time notes usually contain an acceleration clause. An acceleration clause allows the holder to …
Uniform Interpretation Of The 1980 Uniform Sales Law, Franco Ferrari
Uniform Interpretation Of The 1980 Uniform Sales Law, Franco Ferrari
Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law
No abstract provided.
Ponzi Schemes In Bankruptcy, Honorable Dorothy T. Eisenberg, Nicholas W. Quesenberry
Ponzi Schemes In Bankruptcy, Honorable Dorothy T. Eisenberg, Nicholas W. Quesenberry
Touro Law Review
No abstract provided.
Let Us Never Blame A Contract Breaker, Richard A. Posner
Let Us Never Blame A Contract Breaker, Richard A. Posner
Michigan Law Review
Holmes famously proposed a "no fault" theory of contract law: a contract is an option to perform or pay, and a "breach" is therefore not a wrongful act, but merely triggers the duty to pay liquidated or other damages. I elaborate the Holmesian theory, arguing that fault terminology in contract law, such as "good faith," should be given pragmatic economic interpretations, rather than be conceived of in moral terms. I further argue that contract doctrines should normally be alterable only on the basis of empirical investigations.
Fault In Contract Law, Eric A. Posner
Fault In Contract Law, Eric A. Posner
Michigan Law Review
A promisor is strictly liable for breaching a contract, according to the standard account. However, a negligence-based system of contract law can be given an economic interpretation, and this Article shows that such a system is in some respects more attractive than the strict-liability system. This may explain why, as a brief discussion of cases shows, negligence ideas continue to play a role in contract decisions.
Debunking The Corporate Fiduciary Myth, Kelli A. Alces
Debunking The Corporate Fiduciary Myth, Kelli A. Alces
Scholarly Publications
No abstract provided.
The Diverging Meaning Of Good Faith, Mark J. Loewenstein
The Diverging Meaning Of Good Faith, Mark J. Loewenstein
Publications
This article explores the meaning of "good faith" in the context of corporations and unincorporated entities. The courts, particularly in Delaware, have developed two different approaches. In the corporate arena, the courts are fashioning a notion of good faith that seems to require an examination of director motivations. In the unincorporated arena, good faith has a meaning grounded in contract law. These are two different concepts and reflect the fundamental differences between corporations and unincorporated entities, with the former based on fiduciary duties and the latter on contract. There are, however, indications that this "divergence" is starting to disappear, and …
Confronting Adr Agreements' Contract/No-Contract Conundrum With Good Faith, Amy J. Schmitz
Confronting Adr Agreements' Contract/No-Contract Conundrum With Good Faith, Amy J. Schmitz
Faculty Publications
This Article explores the intricate problem, or conundrum, of enforcing "Alternative Dispute Resolution ('ADR') agreements" that require mediation or other non-binding dispute resolution procedures. Although public policy supports ADR, courts' inadequate analysis of ADR agreements is threatening their vitality. Instead of properly considering the flexible nature of these agreements, courts assume formalist contract or no-contract conclusions similar to those they impose on what Professor Charles Knapp has termed "contracts to bargain." ADR agreements and other contracts to bargain pose enforcement problems because they require parties' cooperation without specifying what cooperation means or how to enforce such flexible duties. This Article …
Fulfilling Lucy's Legacy: Recognizing Implicit Good-Faith Obligations Within Explicit Job Duties, Emily Gold Waldman
Fulfilling Lucy's Legacy: Recognizing Implicit Good-Faith Obligations Within Explicit Job Duties, Emily Gold Waldman
Pace Law Review
No abstract provided.
An Employment Contract Instinct With An Obligation: Good Faith Costs And Contexts, Robert C. Bird
An Employment Contract Instinct With An Obligation: Good Faith Costs And Contexts, Robert C. Bird
Pace Law Review
No abstract provided.
Disney Examined: A Case Study In Corporate Governance And Ceo Succession, Lawrence Lederman
Disney Examined: A Case Study In Corporate Governance And Ceo Succession, Lawrence Lederman
NYLS Law Review
No abstract provided.
Desperately Seeking Consideration: The Unfortunate Impact Of U.C.C. Section 2-306 On Contract Interpretation, Victor P. Goldberg
Desperately Seeking Consideration: The Unfortunate Impact Of U.C.C. Section 2-306 On Contract Interpretation, Victor P. Goldberg
Faculty Scholarship
In Section 2-306, the Uniform Commercial Code's drafters intended to assure that two classes of agreements would be enforceable, even though they might appear on their face to be illusory. Variable quantity (output and requirements) contracts were buttressed by reading in a good faith standard (§ 2-306(1)) and exclusive dealing contracts were made enforceable by reading in a best efforts standard (§ 2-306(2)). This was a big mistake. In this paper I show how these two fixes create problems for interpreting contracts. I use two well-known cases, Feld v. Henry S. Levy & Sons, Inc. and Wood v. Lucy, …
Precontractual Liability And Preliminary Agreements, Alan Schwartz, Robert E. Scott
Precontractual Liability And Preliminary Agreements, Alan Schwartz, Robert E. Scott
Faculty Scholarship
For decades, there has been substantial uncertainty regarding when the law will impose precontractual liability. The confusion is partly due to scholars' failure to recover the law in action governing precontractual liability issues. In this Article, Professors Schwartz and Scott show first that no liability attaches for representations made during preliminary negotiations. Courts have divided, however, over the question of liability when parties make reliance investments following a "preliminary agreement." A number of modern courts impose a duty to bargain in good faith on the party wishing to exit such an agreement. Substantial uncertainty remains, however, regarding when this duty …
The Often Imitated, But Not Yet Duplicated, Revised Uniform Commercial Code Article 1, Keith A. Rowley
The Often Imitated, But Not Yet Duplicated, Revised Uniform Commercial Code Article 1, Keith A. Rowley
Scholarly Works
Unlike Revised Uniform Commercial Code Article 9 (1999), which every state and the District of Columbia enacted within roughly two years of its promulgation, states have been slower to warm to Revised UCC Article 1 (2001). Nearly seven years after the American Law Institute and the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Law promulgated it, thirty-three states have enacted their own versions of Revised UCC Article 1. None of the thirty-three has enacted the uniform version in its entirety. All thirty-three enacting states have rejected the uniform choice-of-law provision (§ 1-301) in favor of retaining language based on pre-Revised …
Good Faith Performance In Employment Contracts: A "Comparative Conversation" Between The Us And England, Katherine M. Apps
Good Faith Performance In Employment Contracts: A "Comparative Conversation" Between The Us And England, Katherine M. Apps
ExpressO
This paper asks two questions connected by the fact that they both stem from the inherent incompleteness of employment contracts: in American law, how can the terms in employment handbooks be variable, but sometimes only within reasonable procedurally fair circumstances; and in English law, why doesn’t the implied term of mutual trust and confidence in employment contracts fall foul of the strict test for implication of terms into contract? This paper finds the answer to both questions in the doctrine of good faith. An analysis of good faith as a “comparative conversation” between academic and judicial debates in the US …
Good Faith In The Cisg: Interpretation Problems In Article 7, Benedict C. Sheehy
Good Faith In The Cisg: Interpretation Problems In Article 7, Benedict C. Sheehy
ExpressO
ABSTRACT: This article examines the dispute concerning the meaning of Good Faith in the CISG. Although there are good reasons for arguing a more limited interpretation or more limited application of Good Faith, there are also good reasons for a broader approach. Regardless of the correct interpretation, however, practitioners and academics need to have a sense of where the actual jurisprudence is going. This article reviews every published case on Article 7 since its inception and concludes that while there is little to suggest a strong pattern is developing, a guided pattern while incorrect doctrinally is preferable to the current …
Independent Legal Significance, Good Faith, And The Interpretation Of Venture Capital Contracts, D. Gordon Smith
Independent Legal Significance, Good Faith, And The Interpretation Of Venture Capital Contracts, D. Gordon Smith
Faculty Scholarship
Venture capital contracts are inherently incomplete. When interpreting such contracts, courts could deal with the expectations of parties formally by inquiring only about the plain meaning of the contract or qualitatively by enforcing the presumed expectations of the parties, regardless of whether those expectations are expressed in the contract. The Delaware courts have opted for a formal approach. In doing so, they appear to be engaged in an effort to force contracting parties toward completeness. While the duty of good faith appears to respond to the inevitable incompleteness of contracts, the courts largely ignore this duty in preferred stock cases. …
Contract Theory And The Limits Of Contract Law, Alan Schwartz, Robert E. Scott
Contract Theory And The Limits Of Contract Law, Alan Schwartz, Robert E. Scott
Faculty Scholarship
Contract law has neither a complete descriptive theory, explaining what the law is, nor a complete normative theory, explaining what the law should be. These gaps are unsurprising given the traditional definition of contract as embracing all promises that the law will enforce. Even a theory of contract law that focuses only on the enforcement of bargains must still consider the entire continuum from standard form contracts between firms and consumers to commercial contracts among businesses. No descriptive theory has yet explained a law of contract that comprehends such a broad domain. Normative theories that are grounded in a single …
Discretion In Long-Term Open Quantity Contracts: Reining In Good Faith, Victor P. Goldberg
Discretion In Long-Term Open Quantity Contracts: Reining In Good Faith, Victor P. Goldberg
Faculty Scholarship
Long-term contracts often promise to deliver the seller's full output, the buyer's requirements, or some variation on these. For example, an electric utility might enter into a thirty year contract with a coal mine promising that it will take all the coal needed to supply a particular generating plant. These open quantity contracts have raised two issues. The first is whether the promise was illusory. If the utility had no duty to take any coal, a court could have found that there was no consideration and, therefore, no contract. While there was a time when full output and requirements contracts …
Should The Law Ignore Commercial Norms? A Comment On The Bernstein Conjuncture And Its Relevance For Contract Law Theory And Reform, Jason Scott Johnston
Should The Law Ignore Commercial Norms? A Comment On The Bernstein Conjuncture And Its Relevance For Contract Law Theory And Reform, Jason Scott Johnston
Michigan Law Review
Professor Bernstein's study of the interaction between private law and norms in the cotton industry is the latest installment in her ongoing investigation into the relationship between law and norms in trades ranging from the diamond market to grain and feed markets. Her incredibly detailed and thorough exploration of private lawmaking and commercial norms - and their interaction - stands as one of the most significant contributions to contract and commercial law scholarship made in the last half-century. The cotton industry study upon which I focus in this Comment not only reports fascinating findings about dispute resolution practices, but also …
Good Faith And The Cooperative Antagonist (Symposium On Revised Article 1 And Proposed Revised Article 2 Of The Uniform Commercial Code), James J. White
Good Faith And The Cooperative Antagonist (Symposium On Revised Article 1 And Proposed Revised Article 2 Of The Uniform Commercial Code), James J. White
Articles
One of Karl Llewellyn's most noted achievements in the Uniform Commercial Code was to impose the duty of good faith on every obligation under the Uniform Commercial Code.1 Some (I am one) have privately thought that imposition of this unmeasurable, undefinable duty was Llewellyn's cruelest trick, but no court, nor any academic writer, has ever been so bold or so gauche as to suggest that good faith should not attend the obligations of parties under the UCC. Notwithstanding this silent indorsement of the duty of good faith, the courts2 and commentators3 have had difficulty in determining what is and what …