George Mason School of Law

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George Mason School of Law

Contracts I

G. Offer and Acceptance II

F.H. Buckley

[email protected]

Today

Revocation: Unilateral Contracts Counter-offers Battle of the Forms UCC 2-207

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Revocation: Unilateral Contracts

The Brooklyn Bridge example on p. 233. Offeror terminates when offeree is halfway

across the bridge.

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Restatement § 36(1). An offeree’s power of acceptance may be terminated by (a) rejection or counter-offer by the offeree.

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Restatement § 45. Option Contract Created by Part Performance or Tender. (1) Where an offer invites an offeree to accept by rendering a performance and does not invite a promissory acceptance, an option contract is created when the offeree tenders or begins the invited performance or tenders a beginning of it.

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Acceptance vs. Counter-offer

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Wholesaler offeror offers retailer offeree “a dozen 22 inch clay pots for $300.” Offeree emails back “Great. I’ll take three dozen.”

Is there a contract?

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§39. COUNTER-OFFERS. (1) A counter-offer is an offer made by an offeree to

his offeror relating to the same matter as the original offer and proposing a substituted bargain differing from that proposed by the original offer.

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The “Mirror Image Rule”

§59. PURPORTED ACCEPTANCE WHICH ADDS QUALIFICATIONS. A reply to an offer which purports to accept it but is conditional on the offeror's assent to terms additional to or different from those offered is not an acceptance but is a counter-offer.

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Wholesaler offeror offers retailer offeree “a dozen 22 inch clay pots for $300.” Offeree emails back “Great. I’ll take three dozen.”

Not having heard from wholesaler, retailer emails back “OK, I’ll take a dozen.”

Is there a contract?

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§39. COUNTER-OFFERS. (1) A counter-offer is an offer made by an offeree to

his offeror relating to the same matter as the original offer and proposing a substituted bargain differing from that proposed by the original offer.

(2) An offeree's power of acceptance is terminated by his making of a counter-offer, unless the offeror has manifested a contrary intention or unless the counter-offer manifests a contrary intention of the offeree.

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Restatement § 36. Methods of Termination of the Power of Acceptance(1) An offeree’s power of acceptance may be terminated by

(a) rejection or counter-offer by the offeree

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Counteroffers: Dataserv Equipment at 247

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Counteroffers: Dataserv Equipment at 247

Dataserv (seller)

InDepth

Technology (buyer)

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Counteroffer as Rejection: Dataserv Equipment

Was Dataserv’s response an acceptance of a counteroffer?

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If Dataserv didn’t accept the counteroffer, could it go back and accept it later?

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Restatement § 38(1). A party’s rejection terminates its power of acceptance. Once rejected an offer is terminated and cannot be accepted without ratification by the other party.

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Wholesaler offeror offers retailer offeree “a dozen 22 inch clay pots for $300.” Offeree emails back “Great. I’ll take a dozen but I’d really be much happier if you could send me three dozen.”

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§ 61. Acceptance Which Requests Change of Terms. An acceptance which requests a change or addition to the terms of the offer is not thereby invalidated unless the acceptance is made to depend on an assent to the changed or added terms.

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The Battle of the Forms

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Why might this be a problem?

The Battle of the Forms

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“The sender of the last form … could insert virtually any conditions it chooses into the contract” (254) Ionics

At Common Law

What happens at common law where: There is performance and indisputably a

contract There has been a “Battle of the Forms”

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The “Mirror Image Rule” at common law

§59. PURPORTED ACCEPTANCE WHICH ADDS QUALIFICATIONS. A reply to an offer which purports to accept it but is conditional on the offeror's assent to terms additional to or different from those offered is not an acceptance but is a counter-offer.

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The “Mirror Image Rule”

Restatement § 36. Methods of Termination of the Power of Acceptance(1) An offeree’s power of acceptance may be terminated by

(a) rejection or counter-offer by the offeree

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The Last Shot Doctrine

The Last Shot Doctrine as a corollary of the mirror image rule

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How is the Last Shot doctrine changed by the “infamous” UCC § 2-207?

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Ionics at 250

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Was there a battle of the forms?

If so, was this between merchants?

And what was the dispute?

Ionics at 250

Elmwood

thermostats

Ionics

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Ionics at 250

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Applying the last shot doctrine, what is the contract? And who wins as to implied terms? UCC 2-314: a warranty that the goods

shall be merchantable … if the seller is a merchant with respect to goods of that kind

Ionics at 250

How would you apply UCC § 2-207(1) (before the comma) to Ionics?

UCC § 2-207 (1) A definite and seasonable expression of acceptance or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon

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Ionics at 250

Who would win as to implied terms?

UCC § 2-207 (1) A definite and seasonable expression of acceptance or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon

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Ionics at 250

What about the proviso?UCC § 2-207(1) A definite and seasonable expression of acceptance or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon, unless acceptance is expressly made conditional on assent to the additional or different terms.

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Ionics at 250

What about the proviso?UCC § 2-207(1) A definite and seasonable expression of acceptance or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon, unless acceptance is expressly made conditional on assent to the additional or different terms.Qu. the Elmwood “Acknowledgement”

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Ionics at 250

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In similar circumstances, how did Roto-Lith end up applying the Last Shot doctrine?

What happens then?

UCC § 2-207(1) A definite and seasonable expression of acceptance or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon, unless acceptance is expressly made conditional on assent to the additional or different terms.

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Ionics at 250

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If Ionics rejects Roto-Lith, could 2-207(2) be helpful?

The additional terms are to be construed as proposals for addition to the contract. Between merchants such terms become part of the contract unless:

(a) the offer expressly limits acceptance to the terms of the offer;

Ionics at 250

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(a) the offer expressly limits acceptance to the terms of the offer;

Was that the case in Ionics?

Ionics at 250

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(b) they materially alter it; or

Ionics at 250

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(b) they materially alter it; or


Ionics at 250

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The additional terms are to be construed as proposals for addition to the contract. Between merchants such terms become part of the contract unless:

(c) notification of objection to them has already been given or is given within a reasonable time after notice of them is received.

Ionics at 250

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(c) notification of objection to them has already been given or is given within a reasonable time after notice of them is received.


Ionics at 250

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So what happens when 2-207(1) and 2-207(2) are both ousted?

Ionics at 250

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So what happens when 2-207(1) and 2-207(2) are both ousted?

Two possibilities: There is “conduct by both parties

which recognizes the existence of a contract” in 2-207(3)

Or there isn’t

Ionics at 250

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If there is “Conduct by both parties which recognizes the existence of a contract is sufficient to establish a contract for sale” In such case the terms of the particular

contract consist of those terms on which the writings of the parties agree, together with any supplementary terms incorporated under any other provisions of this Act.

Ionics at 250

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In such case the terms of the particular contract consist of those terms on which the writings of the parties agree, together with any supplementary terms incorporated under any other provisions of this Act.

And what would this be? See Comment 6

Step-Saver at 260

Is this a contract between merchants?

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Step-Saver at 260

Wyse/TSL

Mainframe hardwareplus MS software

Step-Saver

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Shrink-rap Contracts

What did the District Court hold?

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The District Court: The box-top license as the

crucial Last Shot offer

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How did the Circuit Court interpret 2-207(1)?

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Step-Saver


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What about 2-207(1)’s proviso? unless acceptance is expressly

made conditional on assent to the additional or different terms

If the proviso applies, what happens?

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Is that what Step-Saver did? Offeree must demonstrate an

unwillingness to proceed unless the additional terms are included

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Am I missing something here? Clause 5: “Opening this package

indicates your acceptance of these terms and conditions. If you do not agree with them you should promptly return the package unopened”?

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Am I missing something here? “Opening this package indicates your

acceptance of these terms and conditions. If you do not agree with them you should promptly return the package unopened”?

But it did go ahead with the deal (does the proviso mean anything?)

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Am I missing something here? “best seen as one more form in a

battle of the forms”

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What about 2-207(b)?

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2-207(2) The additional terms are to be construed as proposals for addition to the contract. Between merchants such terms become part of the contract unless:

(b) they materially alter it; or Was that the case in Step-Saver?


Material Alteration The merger clause? The warranty exclusion

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So 207(2) is ousted, and the box-top doesn’t become part of the contract, and we’re back with 207(1) And what happens on remand?

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Step-Saver


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What’s left of the proviso?


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Hill v. Gateway at 268

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Was this between merchants? 2-207(2) The additional terms are to be

construed as proposals for addition to the contract. Between merchants such terms become part of the contract unless:

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What is RICO?

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What result if Step-saver is applied here? UCC § 2-207(1) A definite and seasonable

expression of acceptance or a written confirmation which is sent within a reasonable time operates as an acceptance even though it states terms additional to or different from those offered or agreed upon, unless acceptance is expressly made conditional on assent to the additional or different terms.

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Was there a battle of the forms?

If not, what happens to 2-207 per Easterbrook?

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Why did it make sense to enforce the form agreement?

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