What is certainty in contract law?

Category: news and politics law
4.9/5 (1,646 Views . 27 Votes)
Certainty of Terms Definition: A legal requirement of a valid offer to contract; that it must be precise and definite in order to be subject to acceptance. "An agreement may lack contractual force because it is so vague or uncertain that no definite meaning can be given to it without adding further terms."



Also know, is certainty in contract law important?

Certainty in English law. Certainty in English law sets out rules for how judges will interpret, sever or put contracts, trusts and other voluntary obligations into effect. However, a court will attempt to give effect to commercial contracts where possible, by construing a reasonable construction of the contract.

Also, what are the 3 elements of a 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.

Similarly, you may ask, why is certainty important in law?

It is considered a protection that guarantees that the law will not be used in an arbitrary way. Legal certainty is considered important to the rule of law as citizens who perceive the law as fair and comprehensible may be more likely to follow it.

What are the 7 elements of a valid contract?

The 7 essential elements of a contract are the offer, acceptance, meeting of the minds, consideration, capacity, legality, and sometimes a written document.

This is also called:

  • Genuine agreement.
  • Mutual agreement.
  • Mutual assent.
  • Consensus ad idem.

37 Related Question Answers Found

What are the terms of a contract?

The terms of a contract can be expressly agreed orally or in writing. In addition, terms may even be implied by law, the conduct of the parties, custom in a particular trade, previous dealings or the parties' intentions. Contractual terms are defined as conditions, warranties or innominate terms.

What is an 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.

What is certainty in business?

certainty. Theoretical condition in which decision making is without risk, because the decision maker has all the information about the exact outcome of the decision, before he or she makes the decision.

What is capacity to act?

One of the elements of a contract is capacity. Capacity means that a person is legally able to enter into a contract. There are several things that make a person legally able to do so, including age and state of mind.

What is offer and acceptance in law of 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.

What is capacity contract?

Capacity to contract means the legal competence of a person to enter into a valid contract. Usually the capacity to contract refers to the capacity to enter into a legal agreement and the competence to perform some act. The basic element to enter into a valid contract is that s/he much have a sound mind.

What is the any given postulant test?

The leading test for mere powers is the "any given postulant" test, laid down in Re Gulbenkian. This states that the trustees must be able to say with certainty, when a potential beneficiary comes before them, that he either is or is not a beneficiary.

What is contract and essential elements of valid contract?

It is a promise made between two or more parties that which allow the courts to make judgement. A contract has six important elements so that it will be valid which is offer, acceptance, consideration, intention to create legal relation, certainty and capacity.

What is principle certainty?

The principle of legal certainty, and as such the rule of law, requires that: laws and decisions must be made public. laws and decisions must be definite and clear. the retroactivity of laws and decisions must be limited. legitimate interests and expectations must be protected.

Is Contract Law civil law?


An agreement typically involves the exchange of goods, services, money, or promises of any of those. Although most oral contracts are binding, some types of contracts may require formalities such as being in writing or by deed. In the civil law tradition, contract law is a branch of the law of obligations.

Where a meaningless term is used in an agreement the effect is?

Where a meaningless term is used in an agreement, the effect is? a) The entire contract will be held unenforceable. b) It has no practical effect on the contract - the whole contract is enforceable. c) This term, rather than the entire contract, may be held unenforceable.

What is meant by legal certainty and why is it sometimes described as an illusion?

legal certainty, the illusion that the law is, or can be made, a compre- hensive, eternised, set of rules which embrace all possible legal disputes. and settle them in advance (/).

Can the term law be precisely defined?

In U.S. law, the word law refers to any rule that if broken subjects a party to criminal punishment or civil liability. New laws are regularly introduced, old laws are repealed, and existing laws are modified, so the precise definition of a particular law may be different in the future from what it is today.

Should laws be certain?

The law should be certain, so that it can be easily enforced and so that people can know where they stand. We expect that of Parliament when it frames statute law, and of judges when they expound the common law. “The law must be accessible and so far as possible intelligible, clear and predictable”.

What is American Realism in jurisprudence?


The realism is the anti-thesis of idealism. Some jurists refuse to accept the realist school as a separate school of jurisprudence. American realism is a combination of the analytical positivism and sociological approaches. It is positivist in that it first considers the law as it is.

What makes a contract null and void?

A null and void contract is a formal agreement that is illegitimate and, thus, unenforceable from the moment it was created. A null and void contract is a formal agreement that is illegitimate and, thus, unenforceable from the moment it was created.

What is valid contract with example?

For a valid contract, the terms and conditions of an agreement must be clear and certain. If the act is legally or physically impossible to perform, the agreement cannot be enforced at law. Example: A agrees with B to discover treasure by magic and B agrees to pay Rs 1,000 to A.