LEADER 03753nam 2200649 a 450 001 9910780055903321 005 20230421041349.0 010 $a1-282-75240-5 010 $a9786612752407 010 $a1-4008-2196-7 010 $a1-4008-1343-3 024 7 $a10.1515/9781400821969 035 $a(CKB)111056486503600 035 $a(EBL)581659 035 $a(OCoLC)700688699 035 $a(SSID)ssj0000111538 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11137684 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000111538 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)10080440 035 $a(PQKB)10633967 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC581659 035 $a(OCoLC)51493980 035 $a(MdBmJHUP)muse36008 035 $a(DE-B1597)446103 035 $a(OCoLC)979628856 035 $a(DE-B1597)9781400821969 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL581659 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr10015431 035 $a(CaONFJC)MIL275240 035 $a(EXLCZ)99111056486503600 100 $a19950907d1996 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aurnn#---|u||u 181 $ctxt 182 $cc 183 $acr 200 10$aBinding promises$b[electronic resource] $ethe late 20th century reformation of contract law /$fW. David Slawson 205 $aCourse Book 210 $aPrinceton, N.J. $cPrinceton University Press$d1996 215 $a1 online resource (219 p.) 300 $aDescription based upon print version of record. 311 0 $a0-691-04415-5 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. [175]-200) and index. 327 $tFront matter --$tContents --$tAcknowledgments --$tIntroduction --$t1. Classical Contract --$t2. Product Dependence and Unequal Bargaining Power --$t3. Reasonable Expectations --$t4. Relational Torts --$t5. Bad Faith Breach and Remedies Reform --$t6. Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code --$t7. Choices and Prohibitions --$tNotes --$tIndex 330 $aDuring its classical period, American contract law had three prominent characteristics: nearly unlimited freedom to choose the contents of a contract, a clear separation from the law of tort (the law of civil wrongs), and the power to make contracts without regard to the other party's ability to understand them. Combining incisive historical analysis with a keen sense of judicial politics, W. David Slawson shows how judges brought the classical period to an end about 1960 with a period of reform that continues to this day. American contract law no longer possesses any of the prominent characteristics of its classical period. For instance, courts now refuse to enforce standard contracts according to their terms; they implement the consumer's reasonable expectations instead. Businesses can no longer count on making the contracts they want: laws for certain industries or for businesses generally set many business obligations regardless of what the contracts say. A person who knowingly breaches a contract and then tries to avoid liability is subject to heavy penalties. As Slawson demonstrates, judges accomplished all these reforms, although with some help from scholars. Legislation contributed very little despite its presence in massive amounts and despite the efforts of modern institutions of law reform such as the Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws. Slawson argues persuasively that this comparison demonstrates the superiority of judge-made law to legislation for reforming private law of any kind. 606 $aContracts$zUnited States 615 0$aContracts 676 $a346.73/02 676 $a347.3062 700 $aSlawson$b W. David$f1931-$0249168 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910780055903321 996 $aBinding promises$93674517 997 $aUNINA