国际商法合同法案例分析

0Questions and Case Problems

1. At 9 a.m., Menniu airs an ad on the radio station: “Anyone who runs from Shengle to Daqingshan before 12 today will get RMB 1000 from Menniu”. Upon hearing the ad, Chen immediately goes to Shengle and began to run. About one hour later, when he was about halfway to Daqingshan, Menniu places an employee on the road who tells Chen “Menniu revokes”. Chen completes the running to Daqingshan at about half past eleven. Is there a contract between Chen and Menniu? Can Chen recover anything?

2. Dong began working for Grant, Inc., in 1959. Dong agreed to work at a lower pay rate in exchange for a promise that Grant would employ him “for life”. In 1975, Oliver Really, Inc, took over the management of Grant. Oliver’s president assured former Grant employees that existing employment contracts would be honored. During that year, Dong explained the terms of his agreement to an Oliver supervisor. The supervisor stated that he would look into the matter but never got back to Dong. After twenty-four years of service, Dong was fired by the new owners. Dong sued Oliver for breach of a unilateral contract. Discuss whether a unilateral contract exists.

3. Zheng contacts Zhai and offers: “When you finish cleaning my apartment, I’ll pay you 100 yuan.” Zhai responds: “I accept your offer.” Is there a contract? Bilateral or unilateral? Is the distinction important?

4. Lao Chen is a friend of Wang, the owner of a grocery store. Everyday at lunch Chen goes to the store and looks at the fruit. After examining the fruit and talking to Wang, Chen buys one or two kilos of the fruit. One afternoon, Lao Chen goes into the store, looks at the fruit, picks up a 10-yuan-bag of apples and, seeing that Wang is busy, waves the apples at Wang without saying

a word and walks out. Is there a contract? If so, classify it as disused in this chapter.

5. Elderly Josephine Wideman moved in with her daughter and son-in-law so that they could care for her. Until that time, each of Wideman’s children had periodically lived with her in her own home. While Wideman lived with her daughter, other members of Wideman’s family would care for her while the daughter was at work. Wideman always paid her family members for these services, and the evidence supported the proposition that Wideman intended that everyone who cared for her should be paid. The daughter was never paid. When Wideman died, her daughter sued for the reasonable value of her services and rent. Discuss on what theory the daughter can sue to state a claim against her mother’s estate.

6. Mo is confined to his bed, he calls a friend who lives across the street and offers to sell her his watch for $100. If his friend wishes to accept she is to put a red piece of paper in her front window. The next morning, she places a red piece of paper in her front window. Is the contract formed? Bilateral or unilateral? Explain.

7. Lao Meng, an 85-year-old man, collapsed at the Great Wall. Xiao Wang and his girl friend, who did not know Meng, were also at the Great Wall and immediately put Meng on their car, got on the expressway and to him to Beijing Hospital where he was admitted and remained for one week,. Lao Meng never regained consciousness after his collapse. After he died, Wand sued Lao Meng’s estate for the expenses of the car trip and Beijing Hospital sued for the expenses of the hospital stay. Are there contracts? Can Wang and Beijing Hospital recover?

8. Wang is the executive Beijing agent for Tech Software Co. His pay is based on commissions only. Wang has difficulty selling Tech’s software since it was developed in Taiwan-using