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Syllabus for Contracts, Spring 2008 [Syllabus Updated:Thursday, 10-Jan-2008 18:06:46 EST ]

Sections E & F, University of Miami School of Law

Professor Widen

I. General Class Information

Meeting Times: Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:00AM-9:50AM in Room F209

Office Hours: Professor Widen answers questions on the bricks after most classes and is willing to meet for office hours by appointment. Email: wwiden*AT*law.miami.edu

Dean's Fellow: Allison V. Perez. Email: AP8310*AT*students.law.miami.edu

Dean's Fellow Meetings: To be determined

II. Reading Materials

Assigned Materials:

Steven J. Burton, Principles of Contract Law (3d ed. 2006)(hereinafter “Burton”).

Restatement 2d Contracts & UCC Article 2 ( James E. Byrne ed., 3d ed. 2007)(hereinafter “RST2d”).

**NOTE: We will reference the page numbers from the 3d edition of Restatement 2d Contracts in class, however you may use the 2d edition which you may find available used**

Supplemental materials: will be distributed by Professor Widen via email/posted on the class website from time to time during the semester.

Recommended Materials (available on Course Reserve in the law library):

Contracts Stories (Douglas G. Baird, ed., 2006).

Charles Fried, Contract as Promise (2006).

James J. White & Robert S. Summers, White and Summers' Uniform Commercial Code (5th ed. 2006)

III. Schedule of Reading Assignments

CHAPTER ONE:

1. Promises & Offers

Wednesday, January 16^th

Burton (1-32)
Supplement—Payne v. Cave, Adams v. Lindsell, Dickinson v. Dodds, Beaumont v. Prieto, Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Company, Leonard v. Pepsico
RST2d §1, 2, 3, 344, 201, 24, 26, 33, 35

2. Acceptance

Friday, January 18^th

Burton (33-65)
Supplement—Hill v. Gateway 2000, 105 F.3d 1147 (7th Cir. 1997)
RST2d §36, 41, 38, 39, 59, 42, 43, 46, 50, 53, 25, 37, 45, 54, 32, 56, 58, 63, 19, 69

3. Formation of a Contract Under the U.C.C. & “Battle of the Forms”

Wednesday, January 23^rd

Burton (66-89)
Supplement—Northrop Corp. v. Litronic Industries, 29 F.3d 1173 (7th Cir. 1994)
U.C.C. §2-204, 2-206, 1-201(3), 1-201(11), 2-207, amended 2-206 & 2-207

4. Incomplete Agreements & The Requirement of Writing

Friday, January 25^th

Burton (88-127)
U.C.C. §2-204(3), 2-305, 2-201, 2-209
RST2d § 110(1), 129, 131

CHAPTER TWO:

5. Consideration

Wednesday, January 30^th

Burton (128-154)
Supplement—Pinnel's Case, Foakes v. Beer, Alaska Packers’ Ass’n v. Domenico, Watkins v. Carrig, General Motors v. Mich. Dep’t of Treasury, 644 N.W.2d 734 (Mich. S.Ct. 2002)
RST2d §17, 71, 72, 75, 79, 74

6. Bargained For Exchange & Accord and Satisfaction

Friday, February 1^st

Burton (154-166)
Supplement—Lewis v. Maya Angelou, 2003 WL 21709465 (S.D.N.Y. 2005)
Supplement—IFC Credit v. Bulk Petroleum, 403 F.3d 869 (7th Cir. 2005)
U.C.C. §2-209(1)
RST2d §73, 175, 176, 89

7. Reliance on a Promise & Unjust Enrichment

Wednesday, February 6^th

Burton (167-196)
Supplement—Hoffman v. Red Owl Stores Inc., 133 N.W.2d 267 (Wis.1965)
U.C.C. §2-205
RST2d §90, 87, 86

CHAPTER THREE:

8. Freedom to Contract & Mistakes

Friday, February 8^th

Burton (199-242)
Supplement—Tenet v. Doe, 544 U.S. 1 (2005)
RST2d §7, 12, 15, 178, 179, 151, 153, 154, 159, 161, 162, 163, 164, 152, 155

9. Unconscionability & Standard Form Contracts (Arbitration Agreements)

Wednesday, February 13^th

Burton (242-272)
Supplement—Buckeye Check Cashing v. Cardegna, 126 S.Ct. 1204 (2006)
U.C.C. §1-103, 2-302
RST2d § 208, 211

CHAPTER FOUR:

10. Damages Generally & Expectation Remedies (Specific Performance)

Friday, February 15^th

Burton (273-292)
Supplement—Walgreen Co. v. Sara Creek Property, 966 F.2d 273 (7th Cir. 1992)
Supplement— Lumley v. Wagner, (1852) 42 Eng. Rep. 687
Recommended— Richard R.W. Brooks, The Efficient Performance Hypothesis, 116 Yale L.J. 568 (2006).

11. Expectation Remedies Continued

Wednesday, February 20^th

Burton (292-335)
Supplement— Rockingham County v. Luten Bridge Co., 35 F.2d 301 (4th Cir. 1929)
U.C.C. §1-106, 2-703, 2-704, 2-706, 2-708, 2-709, 2-718, 2-711, 2-712, 2-713, 2-714, 2-715
RST2d §350, 352, 351

12. Remedies for Reliance Damages & Restitution

Friday, February 22^nd

Burton (336-358)
RST2d § 344, 353

CHAPTER FIVE:

13. Identifying Express Contract Terms

Wednesday, February 27^th

Burton (359-383)
Supplement— Raffles v. Wichelhaus, (1864) 159 Eng. Rep. 375
U.C.C. §2-202
RST2d § 209, 210, 213, 214, 215, 215

***NO CLASS-FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29th***

14. Interpreting Contract Terms

Wednesday, March 5^th

Burton (383-417)
U.C.C. §1-205, 2-208
RST2d § 200, 201, 202, 203, 206, 207

15. Implication of Terms

Friday, March 7^th

Burton (417-447)
U.C.C. §1-201(19), 1-203, 2-103(1)(b), 2-306
RST2d §204, 205

***NO CLASS-MARCH 12th and 14th: SPRING BREAK***

16. Promises and Conditions

Wednesday, March 19^th

Burton (448-471)
RST2d § 224, 225, 226, 227, 229

CHAPTER SIX:

17. Interests of the Parties Impaired by a Breach

Friday, March 21^st

Burton (472- 497)
U.C.C. § 2-609, 2-610, 2-612
RST2d § 238, 250-57

18. Cancellation in Response to a Breach (Doctrine of Material Breach)

Wednesday, March 26^th

Burton (497-524)
RST2d §235, 237, 238, 239, 241, 242, 236, 243

19. Contd. & Agreed Enforcement Terms

Friday, March 28^th

Burton (524-548)
U.C.C. §2-508, 2-601, 2-602, 2-606, 2-607, 2-608, 2-612, 1-208
RST2d § 240

CHAPTER SEVEN:

20. Excuses for Nonperformance

Wednesday, April 2^nd

Burton (551-574)
U.C.C. §2-613, 2-616
RST2d § 261-272

21. Excuses Contd. & Tortious Conduct in Contract Performance

Friday, April 4^th

Burton (574-602)

CHAPTER EIGHT:

22. Third Party Beneficiaries

Wednesday, April 9^th

Burton (604-640)
RST2d §302, 304, 315, 313, 309, 311

23. Assignment and Delegation

Friday, April 11^th

Burton (640-664)
U.C.C. §9-404, 9-406, 2-210
RST2d § 317, 332, 318

24. Make-up and Review for Final Examination

April 16^th, 18^th, 23^rd, 25^th