How to Analyze Consideration on a Contracts Essay ("The Bargained-For Exchange")

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How to Analyze Consideration on a Contracts Essay ("The Bargained-For Exchange")

CONTRACT FORMATION

A traditional, enforceable contract is formed when there is: (1) mutual assent between the parties (offer + acceptance); and (2) consideration.

CONSIDERATION

In most jurisdictions, an agreement is supported by consideration when: (1) there is a bargained-for exchange between the parties; and (2) the exchange establishes a legal detriment to the promisee.

A minority of courts hold that a legal detriment to the promisee OR a benefit to the promisor is sufficient if there is a bargained-for exchange. However, most courts only focus on whether the promisee incurred a legal detriment, irrespective of a benefit to the promisor.

THE BARGAINED-FOR EXCHANGE

A bargained-for exchange requires reciprocal inducement – that the promise induces the promisee to incur his legal detriment and that the legal detriment induces the promisor to make his promise.

LEGAL DETRIMENT

A legal detriment generally consists of: (1) promising to do something the party has no prior legal duty to do; (2) performing an action that the party is not otherwise obligated to undertake; or (3) refraining from exercising a legal right which the party is otherwise entitled to exercise.

Promising not to sue (settlement of a legal claim) will act as a legal detriment so long as the party promising not to sue has an honest and good faith belief in the validity of the claim.

EXAMPLES OF INVALID CONSIDERATION

Gift promises and conditional gifts are NOT consideration (e.g., A promises to give B his truck if B will pick the truck up from A's house. A's promise to give B his truck is not induced by B coming to pick the truck up. Thus, A is not bargaining for B to come. This is a conditional gift, not bargained-for consideration.).

Past consideration is NOT consideration (e.g., A's truck catches fire as A is demonstrating the truck’s safety features. B rushes over and extinguishes the flames saving A's life. Grateful, A promises to pay B $100 for the rescue. This is past consideration, not bargained-for consideration.).

A pretense of consideration or nominal consideration is NOT consideration (e.g., A and B are cousins. A wishes to give B his truck that is valued at $10,000 as a gift for B's birthday. Attempting to form an enforceable contract, A "sells" B his truck for $1 to meet the consideration requirement. This is a pretense of consideration, not bargained-for consideration.).

An illusory promise is NOT consideration. An illusory promise occurs when the promisor fails to clearly commit to the deal (e.g., A promises to buy B's truck if “he feels like it.” This is an illusory promise, not bargained-for consideration.).


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