At what point in time is an acceptance effective in a contract?

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At what point in time is an acceptance effective? An oral acceptance is effective at the moment the words are spoken directly to the offeror. Other acceptances are generally effective at the moment they are sent, if they are sent properly and the offer has not specified a different means of acceptance.



People also ask, what are the rules of offer and acceptance?

Rules of Acceptance There must be communication of acceptance from the offeree's side. You can withdraw an offer any time before it's accepted. Only the person to whom the offer is made can accept it. You are not bound by an acceptance made by someone else on behalf of the offeree without his authorization.

One may also ask, what happens to an offer if no time limit for acceptance is mentioned in the offer? As far as timeliness goes, if no time period for acceptance is specified by the offeror, the offeree must respond within a reasonable period of time. If a period of time is specified, the general rule is that the time period begins running when the offeree receives the offer.

Keeping this in view, why must the offer and acceptance for a contract be identical?

The traditional contract law rule is that an acceptance must be the mirror image of the offer. Attempts by offerees to change the terms of the offer or to add new terms to it are treated as counteroffers because they impliedly indicated an intent by the offeree to reject the offer instead of being bound by its terms.

What is acceptance in a contract?

An offer is an open call to anyone wishing to accept the promise of the offeror and generally, is used for products and services. Acceptance occurs when an offeree agrees to be mutually bound to the terms of the contract by giving consideration, or something of value like money, to seal the deal.

37 Related Question Answers Found

Can an offer be withdrawn after acceptance?

Many job applicants wonder if their job offer is set in stone once it has been extended. Unfortunately, the answer is no. For the most part, employers can rescind a job offer for any reason or no reason at all, even after you've accepted their offer.

What is valid acceptance?

A valid contract arises only if the acceptance is absolute and unconditional. It means that the acceptance should be in total (i.e. of all the terms of the offer), and without any condition. Thus, an acceptance with a variation is no acceptance. It is simply a counter offer.

What are the types of acceptance?

There are three types of acceptance including express acceptance, implied acceptance, and conditional acceptance.

What are the 3 requirements of an offer?

Offers at common law required three elements: communication, commitment and definite terms.
  • Communicated. The person making the offer (the offeror) must communicate his offer to a person who may then choose to accept or reject the offer (the offeree).
  • Committed.
  • Definite Terms.
  • Other Issues.

What are the requirements of an acceptance?


There are several rules regarding the acceptance of an offer to enter into a contract:
  • The acceptance must be communicated.
  • The offer must be accepted without modifications, otherwise it is a counter-offer.
  • Until an offer is accepted it may be revoked.
  • Only the person to whom the offer is made can accept.

What are the 4 elements of a valid contract?

The requisite elements that must be established to demonstrate the formation of a legally binding contract are (1) offer; (2) acceptance; (3) consideration; (4) mutuality of obligation; (5) competency and capacity; and, in certain circumstances, (6) a written instrument.

What are the rules of consideration?

Legal rules regarding consideration
Consideration must move from the promisee but need not flow to the promisor. Consideration must be sufficient but need not be adequate. Consideration cannot be illusory. Consideration must not be past. Past consideration is not good consideration.

What is acceptance example?

Acceptance means agreeing to receive something or the act of receiving it. An example of acceptance would be the taking of a bribe. The definition of acceptance means agreeing with or taking on a belief or beliefs. An example of acceptance would be agreeing with the theory of evolution.

What is the effect of acceptance?

Effect of Acceptance; Notice of Breach; Burden of Establishing Breach After Acceptance; Notice of Claim or Litigation to Person Answerable Over. (1) The buyer must pay at the contract rate for any goodsaccepted.

What makes an offer effective?


An offer is a manifestation of willingness to enter into a contract, effective when received. It must be communicated to the offeree, be made intentionally (according to an objective standard), and be definite enough to determine a remedy in case of breach.

What do u mean by quasi contract?

Quasi Contract. An obligation that the law creates in the absence of an agreement between the parties. A quasi contract is a contract that exists by order of a court, not by agreement of the parties. Courts create quasi contracts to avoid the unjust enrichment of a party in a dispute over payment for a good or service.

How can an offer be terminated?

Offers may be terminated in any one of the following ways: Revocation of the offer by the offeror; counteroffer by offeree; rejection of offer by offeree; lapse of time; death or disability of either party; or performance of the contract becomes illegal after the offer is made.

What is offer law?

In contract law, an offer is a promise in exchange for performance by another party. An offer can be revoked or terminated under certain conditions. There are also times when an offer can be negotiated to create a counter-offer.

Why is silence in general not an acceptance?

The general rule is that silence cannot amount to acceptance. The rationale behind this is based on the idea that acceptance must take some form of objective manifestation of the intention of the offeree (i.e. the party to which an offer has been made) to accept the terms of the contract.

What are the essential elements of offer and acceptance?


There are mainly three essential elements of a valid offer:
  • (1) The offer must be Communicated.
  • (2)Terms of the offer must be clear and definite.
  • (3)Must create a legal relationship.
  • (1) Must be unconditional and absolute.
  • (2) Must be expressed in some usual and reasonable manner.

How long does an offer last contract law?

An offer lapse if it is not accepted within a stipulate time. In other words, if an offer opens for a specified time, it will close at the end of that time. For example, 'A' offered to sell a car to 'B' and the offer last for 10 days.

What is offer and acceptance in a contract?

The meaning of offer and acceptance is the basis of a contract. To form a contract, there must be an offer made by one party which is, in turn, accepted by another party, and then, in most cases goods and/or services must be exchanged between the two.