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Legal Environment of Business A Managerial Approach Theory To Practice 3rd Edition Melvin Solutions Manual
Legal Environment of Business A Managerial Approach Theory To Practice 3rd Edition Melvin Solutions Manual
OVERVIEW
This chapter concludes the final part of the contracts chapters by examining
contracts for the sale of goods covered under UCC Article 2. The chapter begins
with a broad view of the differences between the common law of contracts and
the UCC. Students then learn UCC notions of agreement, consideration, and the
statute of frauds. The concept of title and allocation of risk is covered in detail and
the chapter ends with coverage of UCC provisions related to breach and remedies
in sales agreements. There is also some treatment of contracts for international
sales of goods under UNCISG and INCO terms.
TEACHING OUTLINE
A. Introduction to Article 2 of the UCC [P.239]
Points to emphasize:
Article 2 of the UCC is a model statute, adopted by every state except
Louisiana that governs contracts for the sale of goods.
UCC Coverage and Definitions: The UCC defines goods as that
which is (1) tangible and (2) movable from place to place.
o Article 2 contains special provisions that apply only in
transactions between merchants, defined as one that is
regularly engaged in the sale of a particular good.
Function of the UCC: To promote commercial efficiency and
promote the completion of a business transaction by providing more
lenient rules and standardized procedures that merchants and
consumers may rely upon.
o Article 2 of the UCC acts to fill in only missing or open terms
(where the parties have not expressly agreed otherwise) in a
contract for the sale of goods.
B. Agreement in a Sales Contract: Offer [P.240]
Points to emphasize:
Article 2 lowers the bar for formation by allowing an enforceable
contract to arise “in any manner sufficient to show agreement”
between the parties.
Offers with Open Terms: An agreement is still valid despite the fact
that delivery, pricing, or payment terms are left open: the UCC
provides standards to fill the gaps left by the missing terms.
o Quantity: While quantity is generally a required term
necessary to create an enforceable contract, quantity may be an
open term if: (1) the buyer agrees to purchase all of the goods
that a seller produces (output contracts); or (2) when the buyer
agrees to purchase all or up to an agreed amount of what the
buyer needs for a given period (requirements contracts).
change the duties of the contract or its value to one party, or (3)
the new terms were rejected in a timely manner by the offeror.
Case 8.1 Hebberd-Kulow v. Kelomar [P. 244]
Facts:
Hebberd-Kulow Enterprises (HKE) sold agricultural supplies to Kelomar
over a period of approximately 20 years between 1987 and 2007. During that time
period Kelomar would routinely order products over the phone. In these phone
calls, the parties’ representatives would discuss and agree to the type of item, its
quantity, and its price. Kelomar would provide HKE with a purchase order
number for the requested items, but it never sent a formal purchase order
document. After delivery of the items to Kelomar, HKE would send Kelomar an
invoice that corresponded to the applicable purchase order number. In 2003, HKE
began to include a provision for late payments on its invoices: According to HKE,
the late penalty interest rate was standard in the industry. Although Kelomar often
paid late, HKE never charged Kelomar interest on the late payments because of
their long-term business relationship. HKE never informed Kelomar of the new
provision and Kelomar never objected to it. A dispute between the parties arose
after HKE delivered approximately $250,000 worth of goods in 2007. These
goods were shipped separately with corresponding invoices. Kelomar refused to
pay the invoices because it claimed to have incurred damages in a different set of
contractual transactions with HKE that were unrelated to the $250,000 shipment.
HKE sued for the price of the goods and also for late payment interest on the
amount due based on the late payment provision included on the invoices.
Issue: Does the UCC battle-of-the forms provision and failing to enforce the late
penalty in the past bar HKE from recovering?
Ruling: No. The court concluded that the jury verdict awarding interest pursuant
to the [2012] invoices, on the basis of supple-mental contractual terms known to
and agreed to by the parties, is well supported by the testimony [at trial], which
showed the general course of dealing in the industry and the specific transactions
between these parties occurring within that frame-work.
Self-Check: Does a sales contract exist? If so, what are the terms of the contract?
[P.245]
Case 9.3: Car Transportation Brokerage Company v. Blue Bird (2009) [P.
253]
Facts: Car Transportation (Buyer) purchased a Blue Bird luxury motor coach
(Coach) from Blue Bird’s authorized dealer, Bleakly (Seller), for $650,000.
Although neither the Buyer nor the Seller performed any pre-delivery inspection,
the Seller provided assurances to the Buyer that the Coach was new and in
working condition. On the day of the purchase, however, the Buyer’s principal
drove the Coach from the Seller’s lot and began to notice certain defects with the
Coach’s electrical system. The next day, the Buyer returned the Coach to the
Seller for repairs and the Seller’s service technicians repaired several electrical
problems to the Buyer’s satisfaction. The Buyer re-took possession of Coach and
placed it into service for the Buyer’s business on January 5.
Over the next two months, the Coach had additional electrical system defects and
several other mechanical problems. Instead of returning the Coach to the Seller
once again, the Buyer opted to return the Coach to the manufacturer for repairs.
On February 18, the manufacturer returned the Coach to the Buyer, but the
electrical problems were still not fully resolved. On March 22, the Buyer notified
the Seller that they were revoking the acceptance of the Coach due to the
mechanical problems. Eventually, the Buyer sued the Seller including, among
other claims, revocation of the Buyer’s acceptance. The trial court found in favor
of the Seller and the Buyer appealed.
Issue: Was the Seller given the opportunity to cure as required by Georgia’s
commercial law statutes?
Ruling: For the Seller. The UCC’s opportunity to cure required the Buyer to
provide the Seller with a reasonable time in which to attempt to make repairs.
What constitutes a reasonable time in which to cure depends on the nature,
purpose, and circumstances of a particular case. At the very least, the Seller was
entitled to notice of the additional problems occurring after delivery and an
opportunity to repair them at some time during the three months prior to the
Buyer’s revocation.
Answers to Case Questions
1. No. The manufacturer was not the seller and the right to cure is a rightof the
seller.
2. It is a case by case basis depending on the goods sold. Will the buyer may
suffer additional damages, the UCC promotes the completion of the transaction
and disfavors revocations.
3. Critical Thinking: The intent of this question is to stimulate discussion on the
fairness of the cure rule. It may be a good opportunity to compare the European
Union cure rule, which is more favorable to the seller.
Self-Check: Buyer’s Rights and Obligations: Does the grocer have an obligation
to pay? Why or why not? [P.255]
Ruling: No, The court ruled in favor of 3L reasoning that the evidence indicated
that 3L discovered certain problems and seasonably notified Merola of the
problems and ultimately rejected all of the boards as nonconforming with the
parties’ agreement.
Case Questions
1. They had already paid the full amount of the amount due to the seller and
the seller delivered defective goods. When the seller began to lie about
receiving the boards etc., they knew that cure was not an option. Nor did
they necessarily need the boards to continue business.
2. If they had shipped non-conforming, more expensive goods, the seller
would have to give seasonable notice, but the impact of shipping more
expensive goods would likely mean that the seller would have an extended
cure period.
3. Critical Thinking:
3. Assuming that the additional terms added by Armstrong are part of the
contract, the GCI-Armstrong agreement is a destination contract. Under the
UCC, risk of loss in a destination contract passes when the goods are tendered
at the specific destination. In the GCI-Armstrong transaction, title never
passed because the goods were destroyed prior to delivery. Armstrong bears
the risk of loss. This question is tied to Question #1 because it turns on
whether or not Armstrong’s inclusion of additional terms on the purchase
order are part of the contract. If they are not part of the contract, then the GCI-
Armstrong contract is assumed to be a shipment contract and the title passes
once Armstrong placed the goods with the carrier to be shipped. [Ties to Title
and Allocation of Risk].
4. Yes. The statute of frauds is satisfied because the purchase order contained
quantity, signature, and terms indicating an intent to contract. [Ties to Statute
of Frauds].
6. Although GCI has accepted the nonconforming goods, they may still revoke
the acceptance of the goods if the nonconformity is found to substantially
impair the value of the goods. Because GCI has discovered the incompatibility
of this part of the printing press, they may revoke their acceptance of the
nonconforming goods. [Ties to Buyer’s Rights and Obligations].
Case Summary 8.2: Right of Rejection: General Motors Corp. v. Acme Refining
Co. [P.269]
1. No, the contracted provided that the metal was to be taken “as-is, where-
is,” therefore, GM shipped conforming goods as agreed and Acme has the
duty to accept them and become the owner of the goods in accordance
with concepts of title.
2. No. Acme waited several weeks before properly rejected the goods, when
the buyer has an obligation to affirmatively notify the seller of the
rejection in a timely manner.
Case Summary 8.3: Cover: Glenn Distributors v. Carlisle Plastics, Inc. [P.269]
1. Yes, assuming that Carlisle cannot prove that reasonably similar items were
available and that it would have been reasonable for the purchaser to
acquire them in asserting the affirmative defense.
2. No, Glenn is entitled to lost profits for the specific products he contracted
for and because no similar items were available, he has the right to sue for
damages sustained due to the breach (lost profits).
Case Summary 8.4: Specific Performance: S.W.B. New England, Inc. v. R.A.B.
Food Group, LLC [P. 269]
1. For a court to grant specific performance to SWB, SWB must demonstrate
that it is not feasible for SWB to use cover or a suit for money damages as
a remedy.
2. Most likely, a court would find that these requirements do not apply in this
case. It is likely that alternate brands of kosher products are available to
permit SWB to cover its loss and be compensated by damages based on
the costs of such products, or that, even if Rokeach products are uniquely
desirable in the relevant market, SWB may be fully compensated in
damages for any sales that it loses because of its inability to supply that
brand to its customers.
Case Summary 8.5: Battle of the Forms: Movado v. Mozaffarian [P. 270]
2. No. The UCC does not require that one party actually see the document if they
acknowledge the receipt of and agreed to be bound by its terms.
Case Summary 8.6: Commercial Imprac.: Ner Tamid v. Krivoruchko [P. 258]