Date:
Fri, 11 Apr 2003 11:20:53 -0400
From:
Allan Axelrod
Subject:
Estoppel in the HL
1.
with respect to the part of the discussion about the function of 'estoppel',
getting rid of 'estoppel' in re contracts which lack formal requirements
seems easy enough via a formulation which probably fits a lot of cases:
the
non-conforming contract is to be given no effect
therefore
if the transaction is wholly executory, neither party may enforce
but
if something of value has changed hands, its amount is awarded to the
supplier
==[called 'restitution', after the discussion group of the same name]
and
if the contract is entirely executed, it is in repose
===========
however, a large problem with a formulation so reeking of the common law
is that it rejects a plausible premise that the consequence of non-compliance
with a statute ought to be determined from the statute rather than common
law deductions: the language then of the particular form statute ought
to be consulted [that it will probably point in no direction at all does
not mean it shouldn't be given primacy if articulate]
at least in american law, there have been determinations with respect
to particular form statutes [particularly one requiring a writing for
a listing with a real-estate broker] that the legislative intent behind
the formal requirement is so serious that non-compliance precludes either
enforcement or restitution.
2.
often, large legal ideas like 'estoppel' are used to explain results reachable
by narrower concepts: there was a spectacular article around the beginning
of the 20th century called 'waiver distributed', in which 'waiver' was
shown to be the name of a lot of other things, such as 'estoppel'
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