Contracts Commons^™

Blockchain & Smart Contract Technology: Alternative Incentives For Legal Contract Innovation, Erika J. Nash

BYU Law Review

No abstract provided.

Intellectual Property's First Sale Doctrine And The Policy Against Restraints On Alienation, Lorie M. Graham, Stephen M. Mcjohn

Texas A&M Law Review

The first sale doctrine decouples intellectual property and physical property. Suppose, at an auction at Sotheby’s, someone bought a contemporary painting by Chuck Close. The buyer now owns the physical painting, but the copyright to the painting remains with the owner of the copyright—the painter Chuck Close or whomever Close may have transferred the copyright to. Absent the first sale doctrine, if the buyer either sold the painting or displayed it to the public, the buyer would potentially infringe the copyright in the painting. The copyright owner has the exclusive right to display copies (including the original, the first copy) …

Contracting Away The First Amendment?: When Courts Should Intervene In Nondisclosure Agreements, Abigail Stephens

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

No abstract provided.

Reproductive Contracts: An Analysis Of Reproductive Treatments, A Critique Of Forms Of Informed Consent, And Prevention Of Circumvention Of Medical Tourism, Minsung Kim

Maurer Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the dissertation is to analyze reproductive medicine, criticize informed consent forms for receiving reproductive treatments, and imply prevention of circumvention of medical tourism. Most of all, the dissertation considers a theoretical approach regarding how we understand reproductive treatments. The dissertation divides reproductive treatments into sustainable and disruptive ones. Reproductive treatments referred to as sustainable ones have legally become pervasive after regulatory evaluations concerning safety, ethical, and legal concerns. However, a few reproductive treatments that are referred to as disruptive ones still have led to disputes regarding whether infertility couples can require and receive them for treatment. The …

Property Rights In Children, Barry E. Adler, Alexis A. Alvarez

Notre Dame Law Review

In 1978, Dr. Elisabeth Landes and then-Professor, later-Judge Richard Posner, published The Economics of the Baby Shortage. The article openly discussed how economic analysis can address the allocation of babies available for adoption. The ideas expressed in the article were widely denounced as an inhumane commodification of children, something tolerable only in the twisted minds of academic authors. Despite the backlash, an odd thing happened in the more than four decades since Landes and Posner wrote on this topic: their ideas began to take hold. Today, almost all states in the United States permit, in some form, the contractual …

Making Employment Arbitration Fair And Accessible, Theodore J. St. Antoine

Articles

Mandatory arbitration agreements require employees, as a condition of employment, to agree to arbitrate all employment disputes instead of filing court suits. The Supreme Court has approved such agreements but many labor experts oppose them. The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a bill to prohibit pre-dispute agreements, the common form for mandatory arbitrations. This article argues that the House bill would have the practical effect of virtually eliminating employment arbitration. Instead, proposals are presented for either legislative or judicial steps to ensure that employment arbitration is fair and accessible. Requirements would include: (1) voluntary agreements on the part of …

More Contract Lore, Robert A. Hillman

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Contract lore consists of “traditional beliefs” about contract law that judges, lawyers, and scholars applying and writing about contract law, employ so routinely and confidently that the principles demonstrate how we perceive contract law today. Previously, I presented three illustrations of contract lore: First, expectancy damages put the injured party in as good a position as if there were no breach. Second, the reasons for a breach, “whether willful, negligent, or unavoidable, are irrelevant to the rules of performance and remedies.” Third, contract formation and interpretation focus on the parties’ intentions.

None of these principles are factually or historically even …

Contract Lore As Heuristic Starting Points, Colin P. Marks

Faculty Works

This article examines the concept of “contract lore,” a term used to describe commonly repeated propositions about contract law that may not accurately reflect how courts actually decide cases. Prior scholarship has suggested that the persistence of such statements reflects aspirational thinking among contract scholars and practitioners, maintained through a form of cognitive dissonance. This article challenges that explanation and instead argues that many examples of contract lore are better understood as heuristic starting points used in legal analysis. Rather than functioning as definitive statements of law, these propositions provide an initial framework from which students, lawyers, and judges begin …

Theory Of The Nudnik: The Future Of Consumer Activism And What We Can Do To Stop It, Yonathan A. Arbel, Roy Shapira

Vanderbilt Law Review

How do consumers hold sellers accountable and enforce market norms? This Article contributes to our understanding of consumer markets in three ways. First, the Article identifies the role of a small subset of consumers—the titular “nudniks”—as engines of market discipline. Nudniks are those who call to complain, speak with managers, post online reviews, and file lawsuits. Typified by an idiosyncratic utility function and certain unique personality traits, nudniks pursue action where most consumers remain passive. Although derided in courtrooms and the court of public opinion, we show that nudniks can solve consumer collective action problems, leading to broad market improvements. …

Reconciling Forum-Selection And Choice-Of-Law Clauses, Kevin M. Clermont

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

In a recent article, Professor Tanya Monestier argued that courts should change their ways so as to apply lex fori to all questions involving forum-selection clauses. I agree that lex fori governs matters of enforceability, but I disagree as to matters of interpretation. On the basis of case law and policy arguments, I argue that the law chosen by the contract should govern interpretation of the forum-selection clause.

Contract Lore As Heuristic Starting Points, Colin P. Marks

Faculty Articles

What Professor Hillman labels as lore are better thought of as a series of heuristic starting points. I do not label them heuristics in and of themselves as they do not represent shortcuts to the ultimate answer. But, as I explain, all of the areas that Professor Hillman identifies as lore are actually quite nuanced, sometimes filled with exceptions; other times, they simply represent the first step in a long inquiry. Heuristics as a teaching device has been recognized in law and other disciplines as an effective tool in not only conveying information, but also prodding the student to conduct …

The Impossibility Doctrine In Commercial Contracts: An Empirical Analysis, Uri Benoliel

Brooklyn Law Review

The impossibility doctrine – under which a contracting party has no duty to perform the agreement if performance thereof is rendered impossible – is a basic building block of U.S. contract law. The prevailing law-and-economics analysis of this doctrine suggests that when contract performance becomes impossible, courts should assign the contractual risk of non-performance to the superior risk bearer, i.e., to the party that can bear said risk at least cost. This article empirically tests, for the first time, the economic theory of the impossibility doctrine. It first hypothesizes that most sophisticated parties to commercial contracts are unlikely to adopt …

Lying And Cheating, Or Self-Help And Civil Disobedience?, Aditi Bagchi

Brooklyn Law Review

May poor sellers lie to rich buyers? This article argues that, under limited circumstances, sellers may indeed have a license to lie about their goods. Where sellers are losers under unjust background institutions and they reasonably believe that buyers have more than they would under just institutions, lies that result in de minimum transfers can be regarded as a kind of self-help. More generally, what we owe each other in our interpersonal interactions depends on the institutional backdrop. Consumer contract law, including its enforcement regimes, should recognize the social and political contingency of sellers’ obligations to buyers. In other contexts, …

Fmc Corp. V. Shoshone-Bannock Tribes, Seth T. Bonilla

Public Land & Resources Law Review

In 1998, FMC Corporation agreed to submit to the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes’ permitting processes, including the payment of fees, for clean-up work required as part of consent decree negotiations with the Environmental Protection Agency. Then, in 2002, FMC refused to pay the Tribes under a permitting agreement entered into by both parties, even though the company continued to store hazardous waste on land within the Shoshone-Bannock Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho. FMC challenged the Tribes’ authority to enforce the $1.5 million permitting fees first in tribal court and later challenged the Tribes’ authority to exercise civil regulatory and adjudicatory jurisdiction over …

Arbitration Clauses In Seafarers' Employment Contracts In The Fifth Circuit, Martin Davies

Louisiana Law Review

The article examines the interpretation by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit of the New York Convention's article II(2) on arbitration clauses in seafarers' employment contracts in the case Sphere Drake Insurance PLC v. Marine Towing, Inc.

Contract Law’S Transferability Bias, Paul Macmahon

Indiana Law Journal

When A makes a contract with B, it comes as no surprise that she is liable to B. If B can transfer her contractual rights to C, A is now liable to C. Parties in A’s position often have strong reasons to avoid being liable to suit by C. Contract law, however, seems determined to minimize and override these concerns. Under current doctrine on the assignment of contractual rights—the focus of this Article—the law often imposes its own preference for transferability on the parties. The law generally assumes that contractual rights are assignable, construes exceptions to that general rule narrowly, …

Consentability, Autonomy, And Self-Actualization, Jonathan Witmer-Rich

Law Faculty Articles and Essays

This essay evaluates several competing principles underlying consent, such as self-interest, self-sovereignty, and self-actualization. Witmer-Rich argues that the nature of consent depends heavily on which of these underlying values consent is believed to serve and concludes that “self-actualization—the ongoing human project of creating and embodying coherent and meaningful values and choices—is the most fundamental good of autonomy and is the good that society should seek to further in the law of consent.”

Contract Law—Arkansas’S Un-American Approach To Attorney’S Fees For Breach Of Contract, Michael J. Berry

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

No abstract provided.

Narrow, Narrower, Narrowest: Appropriate Force Majeure Specificity, Tayzlie T. Haack, Max A. Esplin

Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Imagine you are the owner of a small construction company and

are contracted to build a large office building. As is customary, you

signed a contract agreeing to complete the building by a specific

deadline for a set amount of money. Included is a brief force majeure

clause, which allows you to be relieved of the contract in the case of

“unforeseeable circumstances” that might prevent completion of the

project. During construction, heavy tariffs affect your main suppliers,

exponentially increasing the projected cost of completing the

project. Your company cannot afford the supplies necessary to complete

the building, and you …

Law In The Time Of Covid-19, Katharina Pistor

Faculty Books

The COVID-19 crisis has ended and upended lives around the globe. In addition to killing over 160,000 people, more than 35,000 in the United States alone, its secondary effects have been as devastating. These secondary effects pose fundamental challenges to the rules that govern our social, political, and economic lives. These rules are the domain of lawyers. Law in the Time of COVID-19 is the product of a joint effort by members of the faculty of Columbia Law School and several law professors from other schools.

This volume offers guidance for thinking about some the most pressing legal issues the …

The History Of A Mystery: The Evolution Of The Law Of Unjust Enrichment In Germany, England And China, Steve Gallagher, Lin Siyi, Lutz-Christian Wolff

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The law of unjust enrichment, despite being recognized in all modern jurisdictions, remains controversial due to its complexities. This article examines the historical development of unjust enrichment in Germany, England, and China, arguing that the concept's simplicity and academic influence are root causes of ongoing doctrinal and practical challenges. The analysis critiques the single principle approach—whereby any unjustified enrichment must be returned—highlighting its failure to address diverse scenarios effectively. The article concludes that this flawed foundational concept, compounded by academic ambitions, has led to persistent issues across all three jurisdictions.

The Need For Certainty And Written Form In Land Sale Contracts In China: A Legal Reform Recommendation, Wei Wen

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

Despite the significance of land sale contracts, China's Contract Law (the supreme authority in contractual matters) fails to articulate whether written form is mandatory for land sale contracts as a prerequisite for contractual remedies. The result of this ambiguity is that urban and rural courts across China have delivered contradictory judgments on this matter, and Chinese claimants do not have clear rules or authorities to follow. This imposes unfairness on those claimants. This article examines and analyzes the uncertainty and its causes, reaching a conclusion that the solution to addressing the nationwide uncertainty is a legal reform-Contract Law should articulate …

Revisiting A Classic Problem In Statutory Interpretation: Is A Minister A Laborer?, Lawrence Solan, Tammy Gales

Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Nyc V. Airbnb: New York City's Attempt To Regulate Home-Sharing Platforms And Airbnb's Attempt To Fight Back, Moshe Goldblatt

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note examines the legal battle between New York City (NYC) and Airbnb over the Homesharing Surveillance Ordinance, arguing that the ordinance violates constitutional rights and federal laws. It suggests that while NYC aims to regulate short-term rentals to address housing issues, the ordinance oversteps by compelling platforms to disclose private information without warrants, infringing on Fourth and First Amendment rights, and violating the Stored Communications Act. The note proposes a balanced approach allowing individuals to rent their homes while curbing commercial exploitation.

Contract's Revenge: The Waiver Society And The Death Of Tort, Ryan Martins, Shannon Price, John Fabian Witt

Cardozo Law Review

No abstract provided.

Girik Sebagai Bukti Hak Dalam Pewarisan (Studi Kasus Putusan Ptun Surabaya Nomor 169/G/2018/Ptun.Sby Tahun 2019), Maximillian Billy Tjiotijono

Indonesian Notary

Tesis ini membahas mengenai sengketa tanah waris yang tidak bisa dilakukan proses persertipikatan untuk pertama kalinya oleh sang ahli warisnya. Kasus ini diawali dengan penerbitan Sertipikat Hak Atas Tanah sebidang tanah dengan bukti girik yang dikeluarkan oleh Kepala Kantor Pertanahan Kabupaten Bangkalan, yaitu Sertipikat Hak Milik Nomor 00163 Desa/Kel. Petapan. Penerbitan sertipikat tersebut ternyata merugikan pihak ketiga yang hendak melakukan pendaftaran tanah untuk pertama kalinya atas tanah girik yang dia peroleh dari peristiwa pewarisan sehingga secara hukum, dia kehilangan haknya atas tanah waris tersebut. Oleh karena itu, Sertipikat Hak Milik tersebut seharusnya dibatalkan karena secara nyata merugikan pihak ahli waris. …

Tanggung Jawab Perhimpunan Penghuni Dan Pemilik Satuan Rumah Susun Terhadap Penghuni Rumah Susun (Studi Kasus Apartement Mediterania Palace Residence), Pascalis Bastoto Meliala

Indonesian Notary

Masa Dewasa ini, karena ketersediaan Tanah Khususnya di DKI Jakarta Semakin sedikit, Pembangunan Rumah Tinggal Vertikal menjadi hal yang dapat menjadi Solusi. Apartement atau Rumah Susun adalah salah satu bentuk dari tempat tinggal vertical tersebut. Rumah Susun di Indonesia dimiliki secara pemilikan bersama dengan melihat perbandingan proporsional. Hal ini menyebabkan perlunya dilakukan pengaturan mengenai pengelolaan dan penggundaan. Perhimpunan penghuni dan pemilik satuan rumah susun adalah badan hokum yang bertanggung jawab untuk mengurus kepentingan bersama para pemilik dan penghuni rumah susun. Perhimpunan penghuni ini diatur dalam Peraturan Gubernur nomor 132 tahun 2018 dan Undang-Undang Rumah Susun Nomor 20 tahun 2011. Perhimpunan …

Akta Jual Beli Yang Pembayarannya Ternyata Tidak Lunas Serta Acara Pelepasan Hak Sebagai Cara Memperoleh Tanah (Studi Putusan Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Timur Nomor Perkara 133/Pdt.G/2018/Pn.Jkt.Tim), Muhammad Biondi Insani

Indonesian Notary

Tesis ini membahas mengenai sengketa yang berasal dari Putusan Pengadilan Negeri Jakarta Timur Nomor Perkara 133/Pdt.G/2018/Pn.Jkt.Tim yaitu mengenai jual beli tanah dengan akta jual beli yang pembayarannya ternyata tidak lunas serta acara pelepasan hak sebagai cara memperoleh tanah. Penulis mencoba membahas permasalahan yang terjadi, dalam kasus yang penulis teliti, terjadi peralihan hak dengan perbuatan hukum jual beli, dan telah dibuat akta jual beli, namun pembayarannya belum lunas, atau baru sebagian, kemudian setelah itu, terjadi upaya dari pihak ketiga untuk memperoleh tanah obyek sengketa dengan acara pelepasan hak. Bentuk penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian adalah bentuk penelitian yuridis normatif, yaitu melakukan …

Jual Beli Tanah Dan Bangunan Antara Orang Tua Dan Anak Setelah Salah Satu Orang Tua Meninggal Dunia (Studi Kasus Putusan Pengadilan Negeri Bandung Nomor 265/Pdt.G/2017/Pn.Bdg), Aryani Try Juniarti

Indonesian Notary

Tesis ini membahas mengenai harta bersama perkawinan suami isteri yang tidak dilakukan pembagian setelah putusnya perkawinan karena kematian suami, yang mengakibatkan timbulnya kerancuan terhadap status harta kekayaan pada harta pribadi milik isteri dan harta bersama milik para ahli waris atas harta peninggalan/ warisan bagian suami. Oleh karena hal tersebut, timbul sengketa waris yang diajukan oleh beberapa ahli waris terkait jual beli tanah dan bangunan antara orang tua dan anak setelah salah satu orang tua meninggal dunia. Adapun permasalahan yang diangkat dalam penelitian ini adalah mengenai status harta perkawinan setelah putusnya perkawinan karena kematian, pertimbangan hukum Majelis Hakim dalam memutus perkara …

Perlindungan Terhadap Pemenang Lelang Yang Risalah Lelangnya Dibatalkan Oleh Putusan Pengadilan (Analisis Putusan Pengadilan Tinggi Nomor 247/Pdt/2018/Pt.Bdg Tanggal 23 Juli 2018), Clara Egia Pratami

Indonesian Notary

Lelang telah dikenal di Indonesia sebagai salah satu cara untuk mengalihkan kepemilikan atas benda yang dijadikan jaminan suatu piutang. Pengalihan kepemilikan atas benda yang menjadi jaminan suatu piutang dilakukan melalui cara lelang eksekusi. Pada pelaksanaannya, tidak jarang penyelenggaraan lelang eksekusi mendapatkan gugatan dari pihak ketiga yang berujung pada pembatalan risalah lelang oleh putusan pengadilan. Tesis ini akan membahas salah satu kasus yang berkaitan dengan pembatalan risalah lelang terhadap penyelenggaraan lelang eksekusi oleh Pejabat Lelang Kelas I, yang menganalisis mengenai tanggung jawab Pejabat Lelang Kelas I atas pembatalan risalah lelang yang dibuatnya dan menganalisis mengenai perlindungan yang didapat pemenang lelang dalam …