For the most part, the Draft Convention, in accordance with Civil law tradition, applies the receipt theory. Referring to contract theory on the European continent, Gordley asserts that the theorists had jettisoned all aspects of medieval natural law theory except the foundation of contract in the will of the promisor. 16(2)(a)]: An offer cannot be revoked, "if it indicates, whether by stating a fixed time for acceptance or otherwise, that it is irrevocable. 16(3) [became CISG art. 29. [24] However, this general rule favoring revocability is subject to two exceptions, one of a Civil law and one of a Common law nature. Further, in practice the seller would be expected to notify the buyer that he has sent the goods, especially when the goods will be en route for an extended period of time. The posting rule (or mailbox rule in the United States, also known as the "postal rule" or "deposited acceptance rule") is an exception to the general rule of contract law in common law countries that acceptance of an offer takes place when communicated. 23. [26] Yet, as we have seen, assent may also be indicated by "performing an act"; such an act concludes a contract. 5, I.1 (1976). The collateral or preliminary contract is well established in general contract law. See also UCC 2-206(1)(a). The receipt theory, which assumes a contract has been created on the receipt of a letter of acceptance and the dispatch theory, known also as 'the postal rule ... Business Law – General a. Nexus of Contract Theory i. See also art. A theory that says that the intent to contract is judged by the reasonable person standard and not by the subject intent of the parties. . One delegation strongly urged that when the offer states a fixed period for acceptance, the businessmen of Common law countries would interpret this to mean not only that the offer would terminate at the end of this period, but also that during this period the offer was revocable at any time. 7(1)] among the rules on the interpretation and application of the Convention could be fully effective. However these rules vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. 16(2)(b)] an offer cannot be revoked "if it was reasonable for the offeree to rely upon the offer as being irrevocable and the offeree has acted in reliance on the offer." See v. Caemmerer, supra n. 5 at 124, and ULF Art. . [25] Unlike the above compromise between the dispatch and the receipt theories, this compromise inclines more closely to the Common law. ... shall be formed upon dispatch of the notice of acceptance (postal rule). Moreover, the declaration of acceptance might involve a waste of time, and is not important to the buyer. ULF art. 20. 13(2), (20) [became CISG arts. The Handbook’s editors have succeeded in making critical legal theory – in all its multifarious, subversive complexity – both accessible and compelling. The classic Common law rule is that in these circumstances a contract was completed when the offeree (B) posted the acceptance; the risk of delay or loss in transmission falls on the offeror (A) when the offeree dispatched an acceptance by a medium expressly or impliedly authorized by the offeror. It may, therefore, be argued that paragraph (3) is superfluous. In one important situation the Draft Convention does not follow the receipt theory. 14(1) [became CISG art. Agreement for Dispatch Services 1. In cases of auctions, the theory on the formation of a contract is a bit more complicated, considering the presence of the 3 rd party and bidders. To discuss the postal rule in light of modern communications, it is first necessary to explore the traditional law concerning offer and acceptance by post. [20], There is ground for objecting to the rule of art. ", To some, this wording will seem similar to point (a) in the Working Group Draft (the so-called Civil law position). 13. It also refers to the principle that when a pleading or other document is filed or served by mail, filing or service is deemed to have occurred on the date of mailing. It focuses on the new UN Declaration on the Rights of Peasants, drawing on insights offered by one critical legal theory in particular – the commodity-form theory developed by the Soviet jurist Evgeny Pashukanis. 5(1), (2)) uses the terms "withdrawal" and "revocation" in connection with the offer in the same way as the Draft Convention. In addition, acts related to sending goods or paying the price usually involve a more serious change of position, calling for legal protection, than sending a letter. Acceptance must generally be made in the manner specified by the offer. See Schlesinger, Formation of Contracts -- A Study of the Common Core of Legal Systems, Vol. The mailbox rule (also called the posting rule), which is the default rule under contract law for determining the time at which an offer is accepted, states that an offer is considered accepted at the time that the acceptance is communicated (whether by mail e-mail, etc). In art. Following this discussion, UNCITRAL contracted points (a)-(b)(quoted above) of the Working Group draft into a single provision in art. 6 [became CISG art. b. Expedition theory (versendingsteorie); agreement is concluded as soon as he has posted his letter of acceptance c. Reception theory (ontvangsteorie); agreement when offeror receives the letter d. Information theory (verneingsteorie); agreement is concluded only when offeror has been informed, when he has read the letter. 12(1): "For the purposes of the present law, the expression �to be communicated� means to be delivered at the address of the person to whom the communication is directed.". 16(2)(b)]; its wording seemed unusual to Civil law jurists. The draft on formation prepared by the Working Group set forth three exceptions from the general rule of revocability. Most Civil law systems take the opposite view. 24. The significant point is that the date on the envelope can be relied on only if there is no date on the letter. 13(2) [became CISG art. Id. In addition, acts related to sending goods or paying the price usually involve a more serious change of … Attempts by offerees to change the terms of the offer or to add new terms to it are ... acceptances effective upon dispatch when the offeree used a manner of communication that was expressly or impliedly authorized (invite) by the offeror. Origin 1818 Established by case law 18(1) [became CISG art. ... By common law, an offeror may revoke (withdraw) an offer any time prior to its acceptance by the offeree. It can therefore be withdrawn before it has reached the other party, and also, for similar reasons, when the offer and its withdrawal or when the acceptance and withdrawal reach the other party at the same time -- e.g., by the same mail (Arts. ", The Draft Convention sets forth a second exception from the general rule of revocability -- an exception "of Common law character" based on reliance. 15(1)]), the withdrawal of an offer (art. In hindrance of the plaintiffs acceptance, the defendants sold the goods to a third party. . The offeror either antedated his letter or negligently posted it only after the lapse of several days. 14 [became CISG art. II: 1437-1441 (English), 1446-1463 (French), 1464-1473 (Austrian, German, Swiss). 21(2)], which requires the offeror to notify the offeree when, owing to abnormalities in transmission, an acceptance posted in due time arrives late and the offeror considers that his offer has lapsed. 22 [became CISG art. The first two were: "(a) if the offer indicates that it is firm or irrevocable; or (b) if the offer states a fixed period of time for acceptance.". However, if the offer provides that an acceptance is not effective until received then, the dispatch rule does not apply. . It is clear from the text that the "performance of an act" must be such as to indicted assent. The cardinal question under the general rule is this: How long will the offer be revocable? 16(2) [became CISG art. In extreme cases, even the whole period of time for acceptance might expire before the letter reaches the offeree; in any case the time for acceptance will be shortened.[21]. 16(3) [became CISG art. If there were no express provisions in the charter party as to seaworthiness or a ship owner's obligation to exercise reasonable dispatch, there is an implied obligation in common law. Void contract – No contract exists3. This provision is by far more explicit than the comparable provision of ULF art. A branch of modern literary studies concerned with the ways in which literary works are received by readers. Receipt Theory v. Dispatch Theory. A proposal that the reliance rule of art. The same may be said of UNCITRAL�s draft. 22 of the 1978 Draft Convention [became CISG art. ), Kommentar zum Einheitlichen Kaufrecht, art. For practical purposes contract law is the aggregate of these statutes and rules. South African contract law is ‘essentially a modernized version of the Roman-Dutch law of contract’, which is itself rooted in canon and Roman laws. Art. 16(2)], the mere dispatch of an acceptance does not conclude a contract but does end the offeror's power to revoke his offer. A classic instance of conflict between the Common law and the Civil law is posed by the following case: A posts an offer to B. A rule of law that holds that an offer of contract is effective immediately once acceptance is communicated, whether by mail or other means. Voidable contract – A party has the option of voiding or enforcing the contract4. Reproduced with the permission from 27 American Journal of Comparative Law (1979) 311-323, [This is a commentary on provisions on Formation of the contract, contained in the 1978 Draft. It is necessary to recall the basic principle: Until the contract has been made, the offer may be revoked, subject to exceptions set forth in art. 14 [became CISG art. Acceptance Effective upon Dispatch 33 German Law 34 Principles of European Contract Law 34 Classifications of Contracts:Enforceability1. If no manner of acceptance is specified by the offer, then acceptance may be made in a manner that is reasonable under the circumstances. Article 9 The parties shall, when making a contract, have corresponding capacity for civil rights and civil conduct. When there is a discrepancy of several days between the dates on the letter and the envelope, it is probable that the latter date is authentic. 16(3 [became CISG art. Are the parties bound by contract? As far as I know there is also no precedent case that deals with when email acceptances are 'communicated'. Art. In the broadest definition, a contract is an agreement two or more parties enter into with the serious intention of creating a legal obligation. [27] When it was suggested that such a reading of the offer would be inconsistent with the statutory rule, the delegation replied that in the relations between the businessmen of two Common law states, the meaning they give to their own contract must be respected. 20(1)] that when the offeror by letter fixes a period of time for acceptance, the period begins to run from the date shown on the letter or, if no such date is shown, from the date shown on the envelope. The rule was created in Adams V Lindsell [2] where, through misdirection in the post, the defendants offer was delayed which subsequently caused the plaintiffs communication of acceptance, also by post, to be delayed too. To establish a contract2 ( 4 ) of the provisions of this regard. Might be at a disadvantage 3 ) ] ( quoted above ) ``. 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