Contract Law: An Introduction and Key Case Analyses

Definition of a Contract
- A contract is defined as a legally binding agreement.
- It comprises promises or sets of promises that the law will enforce.
- The contract creates specific rights and obligations that may be enforced in courts.
- The standard method of enforcement involves an action for damages due to a breach of contract; however, courts may order performance by the party in default in certain cases.

Identifying important facts in a case is crucial for mastering the common law method of case analysis.
Example case: Hawkins v. McGee
- The court performed a two-step analysis:
1. Determine whether there was a breach of the contract.
2. If there was a breach, calculate the damages arising from that breach.
Key facts in Hawkins v. McGee were essential in the court's decision against the defendant doctor, which led to the award of damages to the plaintiff boy.

The introductory lecture on contract law emphasizes several key concepts:
- Contracts as Social Relationships: Recognizing contracts as foundational to social and economic interactions.
- Contracts as Exchanges: Understanding contracts as transactional exchanges between parties.
- Contracts as Agreements: Viewing contracts as mutual agreements reached by the parties.
- Contracts as Expectations: Considering contracts as central to establishing and managing expectations between the contracting parties.

Contract law poses several foundational questions to assess the nature and enforcement of contracts:
1. Have the parties acted in such a way as to create legally recognizable expectations in one another?
2. How should those expectations be characterized and understood?
3. Was the understanding faithfully carried out by the parties or was it somehow thwarted?
4. If thwarted, what, if anything, should the law do about it?
These questions guide legal professionals in evaluating contracts and determining any breaches or remedies necessary to uphold justice in contractual agreements.