国际商事交易法_consideration

Consideration I INTRODUCTION Definition eithersomedetrimenttothepromisee inthathemaygivevalue orsomebenefittothepromisor inthathemayreceivevalue theonlyevidenceoftheintentionofthepartiestobebound Asageneralrule acontractwillnotbeenforceableunlessitissupportedby consideration Apromiseissupportedbyconsiderationif 1 Detriment Thepromiseegivesupsomethingofvalue orcircumscribeshislibertyinsomeway i e hesuffersa legaldetriment and2 Exchange Thepromiseisgivenaspartofa bargain thatis thepromisormakeshispromiseinexchangeforthepromisee sgivingofvalueorcircumscriptionofliberty Bargain for Existenceofcondition Apromiseshiswidowedsister in lawBaplacetolive ifyouwillcomedownandseeme Inresponse BtravelstoseeA therebyincurringexpenses EventhoughBhassuffereda detriment theexpenses the bargain elementislacking AwasnotpromisingBaplacetolivebecausehewantedtoseeher butwasmerelyimposinganecessarypre conditionforhertogetthegift Therefore hispromiseisunenforceableforlackofconsideration Kirkseyv Kirksey Evenifthepersonpromisingtomakeagiftrequiresthepromiseetomeetcertainconditionsinordertoreceivethegift therewillstillbenoconsideration andthepromisewillthusbeunenforceable ifthemeetingoftheconditionsisnotreally bargainedfor bythepromisor Occurrenceofconditionisofbenefittopromisor Butifthepromisorimposesacondition andtheoccurrenceofthisconditionisofbenefittohim thenthebargainelementprobablywillbepresent detriment A Generally Forconsiderationtobepresent thepromiseemustsuffera detriment Thatis shemustdosomethingshedoesnothavetodo orrefrainfromdoingsomethingthatshehasarighttodo Example AfterPhasalreadyretiredfromworkingforD DpromisesPalifetimepension forwhichPneednotdoanything Atcommonlaw thispromisewouldprobablybeunenforceable becausePhasnotsufferedanydetrimentinreturnforit 1 Non economicdetriment Evenanon economicdetrimentwillsuffice Example IfApromisesB 5 000inreturnforB sabstainingfromalcoholandtobacco B srefrainingwillbea detriment thatwillserveasconsiderationforA spromise ThusA spromisewillbeenforceable WhitevBluett 1853 23LJEx36 Facts MrBluetthadlenthissonsomemoney MrBluettdied TheexecutorofMrBluett sestatewasMrWhite Hesuedthesontopaybackthemoney Inhisdefence thesonarguedthathisfatherhadsaidthesonneednotrepayifthesonwouldstopcomplainingabouthowMrBluettwoulddistributehispropertyinhiswillamongthechildren Judgment PollockCBheldtherewasnoconsiderationforanydischargeoftheobligationtorepay Thesonhad norighttocomplain anyway Notcomplainingwasthereforeanentirelyintangiblebenefit WardvByham 1956 2AllE R 318 D thefatherofachild promisedthemotherthathewouldpay 1perweekmaintenance providedthatthemothercouldprovethatthechildwaswelllookedafterandhappy HELDDenningMRThefatherarguedthattherewasnoconsideration becausethemotherwasonlydoingwhatshewaslegallyobligedtodo Themothercouldhavebroughtaffiliationproceedings andanagreementnottodosowouldhavebeengoodconsideration Anagreementnottopursuealegalrightcanamounttoconsideration butthemotherdidnotthinkofthatatthetime Hence thefatherargues themotherwasofferingasconsiderationonlywhatshewasobligedtodo However Denningthenadded Ihavealwaysthoughtthatapromisetoperformanexistingdutyshouldberegardedasgoodconsideration becauseitbenefitsthepersontowhomitisgiven Ifthefathergetsthebenefitforwhichhehasstipulated thenheoughttohonourhispromise Themother sactionsconstitutedacceptanceandcompletionoftheunilateralcontract thecourtshavebeenmorewillingtoregardperformanceofanexistingnon contractuallegaldutyasbeinggoodconsiderationwherethepossibilitiesofextortionarelessobvious 比较Whitev Bluett 一是 儿子承诺不去抱怨父亲 一是 母亲证明孩子得到好的照料及快乐 可能的解释会是 1 法律对待约因的放松 2 政策上对孩子得到良好照料的重视 Insummary Consideration Bargained forDetriment considerationmustmovefromthepromisee benefittothepromisorisoftenmerelyaby product buteitheroneissufficient economic non economic 商业上一个合同没有经济价值的约因确是较少见 但在事后的更改 variation 或追加协议常会有这方面问题 比如 市场上涨时卖方要求增加货价 买方被迫同意 这追加协议去多付货款有否约因 如果有 是什么 船东去敲收货人在 运费已付 的提单下多付一次运费 收货人为了顺利提早收到货 同意多付一次 这追加协议有否约因 是什么 收货人可否事后赖掉拒付 或付了后要求船东归还 Sufficiencyofaconsideration detriment doesnotnecessarilyimplysufferingnetlossordisadvantage thepromiseeincursadetrimentbydoinganact makingapromiseorrefrainingfromdoinganact howeversmallorinsignificant providedthatithasbeenagreedthatsheshoulddotheact etc inreturnfor thepromise Adequacy irrelevant Themostimportantruleoflawwithregardtoconsiderationisthatitneednotbeadequate Itissaidthatitmusthave somevalueintheeyeofthelaw but consistentwiththeprinciplethatanominalconsiderationisgoodconsideration thevaluemaybeslight indeednegligible 对价不相称的原因disparity mispresentationduressfraudwillingfulactignoranceothers Peppercornconsideration Anominal shamconsideration usedtosatisfytherequirementsforthecreationofalegalcontract So inorderforanessentiallyone sidedcontracttostillbevalidandbinding thecontractwillgenerallybewrittensothatonesidegivesupsomethingofvalue whiletheothersidegivesatokensumsuchasonepound onedollar or literally onepeppercorn Peppercornpaymentsaresometimesusedwhenastrugglingcompanyissold Afailingcompany snetworthmayactuallybenegative sinceitsliabilitiesmayexceeditsassets Soifsomeotherpartyagreestotakeoverthecompanyandassumeitsliabilitiesaswellasitsassets thesellermayactuallyagreetomakealargepaymenttothebuyer Butthebuyermuststillmakesomepaymentforthecompany evenifthatpaymentisonlyonedollaroronepound inordertoestablishthatbothsideshavegivenconsideration Apeppercornisalsousedinmorebalancedcontracts whereonesidewishestoconcealthenatureoftheirpayment E g sincerealestatecontractsaregenerallymattersofpublicrecord thepurchaserofahousemaynotwishtolisttheexactamountofthepaymentonthecontract Buttheremustbesomespecificpaymentlistedinthecontract orthecontractwillbeconsideredvoidforlackofconsideration Sothecontractmaybewrittentoreflectthatthehouseisbeingsoldinreturnfor tendollarsandothergoodandvaluableconsideration Thetendollarsisthe peppercorn thatprovidesconcreteconsiderationandensuresthatthecontractisvalid whiletheactualamountpaidforthehouseishiddenandreferredtoonlyasthe goodandvaluableconsideration peppercornrentanominalrentalsumforproperty landorbuildings Wherearentalcontractisputinplaceandtheownerofthepropertywishesittoberentfreeitisnormaltocharge say onepoundsterlingasapeppercornrent Again thisisbecause iftheownerwantstoleasetheproperty theymustchargesomerentsothatconsiderationexistsforbothparties However courtwillreject consideration thatwasnottrulybargainedfor 个别岸上活动 会有立法禁止名义上的约因 例如恐怕公司负责人以名义上约因的承诺去把公司资产出售 不利小股东的行为 Eg LawofPropertyAct1926 Section205 1 xxi valuableconsiderationdoesnotincludeanominalconsiderationinmoney CompaniesAct1985 ss 103 320 InsolvencyAct1986 ss 238 239 423 etc illusoryconsideration An illusory promiseisnotsupportedbyconsideration andisthereforenotenforceable Anillusorypromiseisastatementwhichappearstobepromisingsomething butwhichinfactdoesnotcommitthepromisortodoanythingatall discretionarypromise AsaystoB I llsellyouasmanywidgetsat 4apiece upto1 000 asyouchoosetoorder Banswers Fine we vegotadeal Arralev Coatain 1976 lLloyd sRep 98 Arrale先生在波斯湾工作时受伤 根据当地 杜拜 劳工法例 他获得一小笔赔偿 并同时去签了一份合同 协议说明这笔钱是 infullsatisfactionanddischargeofallinrespectofpersonalinjury whichoccurredon3rdJuly 1968 Arrale先生事后在英国法院起诉要求额外赔偿 雇主Coatain自然以这和解协议抗辩 在上诉庭 Denning勋爵指这协议是针对杜拜劳工法例下的责任 而对英国普通法下的责任 如雇主有疏忽 该协议没有包括 也没有在这方面的约因 如果除了杜拜劳工法例的赔偿外 雇主多去支付Arrale先生一点儿钱 哪怕是很少的钱 便可让雇主去争辩和解协议有约因了 Pastconsideration Pastconsideration nogood Ifthepromiseismadeinreturnfordetrimentpreviouslysufferedbythepromisee thereisnobargain andthusnoconsideration Thuspromisestopayapre existingdebt andpromisestopayforservicesalreadyreceived usuallylackthe bargain element Eastwoodv Kenyon 1840 11A E438 Thecaseinvolvedsomeonewhoasexecutorofadeceasedestatehadtakenonhimselfthetaskoflookingafterthedeceased sdaughteruntilshebecameanadult Indoingsohehadspentalotofmoneyandevenhadhadtoborrowmoneyatonestage Thedaughter whenshecameofageandherhusbandwhenshemarried promisedtoreimbursetheplaintiff Whenhewasnotreimbursedhesuedonthispromise Thecourtsaidthatthepromisetoreimbursewasapurelymoralobligation Itwasnotsupportedbyconsideration Thiswasbecauseitwasnotpartofanexchange Whathehaddoneinthepastcouldnotconstitutepartofanexchange pastconsiderationisnoconsideration Exceptions 1 本质上是一件事 例如某些货物买卖 如电器 一般有一 两年的保用保证 常会在用户买了货物之后才去发出保用保证 但这保证有约因 因为本质上与较早的买卖是一件分不开的事 2 已过时行为 act 是应承诺人要求作出 例如这约因是提供服务 而在承诺人同意付一笔钱给这服务时 服务实已完成 如果较早服务是应承诺人要求作出 则后果不一样了 船在装港靠码头时引水员疏忽撞坏了岸吊 码头当局向船东索赔 但没有马上回复 因此当局作出威胁要停止装货 这时租船人 也是发货人 因为付运期已届 信用证时间紧迫而变得着急 于是 他单方面向码头当局去赔付5万美元损失 开航后 租船人在付运费时迫船东承诺接受这5万美元 船东事后反悔 指这个承诺是针对已过时约因 Moralobligations 去赔付明知时效已过的索赔 纯是为了道义或友好 Volunteernopay 自愿者 去提供服务或东西 将来可去向对方 受惠方 取回报酬补偿只会在以下情况 是对方要求做 要求协助 这一来是会有一个法律上的默示条件要请求方应去对这带来的费用报酬负责 The Strathlorne 1934 50Lloyd sRep 185 要是这报酬多少去先谈妥 这根本是一个合同了 而即使没有谈过 应要求提供服务或东西的一方亦可去取回 按情况应得之数 quantummeruit 金额可由法院判决 紧急代理 agentofnecessity 海上救助 salvage Notenforcinglegalrightsasconsideration 主要是在有争议时双方的和解协议 一般都是以此为约因 即承诺人说明 Inconsiderationofyou creditor nottoenforceyourclaim discontinuewithyourclaim I thepromisor defendant agreetopayyouwithin7daysUS 100 000 orotherbenefits infullandfinalsettlementofyourclaim Exception Wadev Simeon 1846 2C B 548 Tindal certainlycontrarytoalltheprinciplesofnaturaljusticethatamanshouldinstituteproceedingsagainstanotherwhenheisconsciousthathehasnogoodcauseofaction Everydayacompromiseiseffectedonthegroundthatthepartymakingithasachanceofsucceedinginit andifhebonafidebelieveshehasafairchanceofsuccess hehasareasonablegroundforsuing andhisforbearancetosuewillconstituteagoodconsideration Itwouldbeanothermatterifapersonmakingaclaimwhichheknewtobeunfounded and byacompromise derivedanadvantageunderit inthiscasehisconductwouldbefraudulent Cockburn Callisherv Bischoffsheim 1870 L R 5QB publicduty Generalrule noconsiderationSpecialserviceisexception Pre existingcontractualduty Stilkv Myrick 1809 2Camp 317Facts Stilk P wastocontractedtoworkonashipownedbyMyrick D for5poundsamonth promissingtodoanythingneededinthevoyageregardlessofemergencies AftertheshipdockedatCronstadttwoseamendesertedandtheCaptainagreedthatthewagesofthetwodeserterswouldbedividedequallyamongth