Res. 84 (promise in event of non-occurrence of condition)
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 5:40 pm
This one's bugging me.
Here's 84(1):
"(1)Except as stated in Subsection (2), a promise to perform all or part of a
conditional duty under an antecedent contract in spite of the non-occurrence of the
condition is binding, whether the promise is made before or after the time for the
condition to occur, unless
(a) occurrence of the condition was a material part of the agreed exchange
for the performance of the duty and the promisee was under no duty that it
occur; or
(b) uncertainty of the occurrence of the condition was an element of the risk
assumed by the promisor."
Like so many moments in contract law, the drafters are terrible with language. My interpretation of it is this: If I expressly waive a condition, that waiver is binding unless the condition is material and it is not a promsissory condition, and unless (b) as well (I don't feel like putting (b) into my own words).
My friend's interpretation is that this is not a section on waivers per se, but just a statement that non-material conditions don't matter and that a waiver is already implied if a condition is non-material. In other words, the waiver doesn't have to be express; instead, the waiver exists the moment that non-material condition is made.
Who is right?
Here's 84(1):
"(1)Except as stated in Subsection (2), a promise to perform all or part of a
conditional duty under an antecedent contract in spite of the non-occurrence of the
condition is binding, whether the promise is made before or after the time for the
condition to occur, unless
(a) occurrence of the condition was a material part of the agreed exchange
for the performance of the duty and the promisee was under no duty that it
occur; or
(b) uncertainty of the occurrence of the condition was an element of the risk
assumed by the promisor."
Like so many moments in contract law, the drafters are terrible with language. My interpretation of it is this: If I expressly waive a condition, that waiver is binding unless the condition is material and it is not a promsissory condition, and unless (b) as well (I don't feel like putting (b) into my own words).
My friend's interpretation is that this is not a section on waivers per se, but just a statement that non-material conditions don't matter and that a waiver is already implied if a condition is non-material. In other words, the waiver doesn't have to be express; instead, the waiver exists the moment that non-material condition is made.
Who is right?