American Contract Law II

Yale University

About this Course

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Course description: Contracts I & II provides a comprehensive overview of contract law in the United States. The course covers most of the key concepts found in a first year law school class. Each lecture is based on one or more common-law cases, integrating legal doctrines with policy discussions. The course also covers key sections from the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC), which governs the sale of goods. 
By the end of the course, the learner should be able to understand: 

Formation defenses: how an otherwise valid contract can be void, including the statute of frauds, mistake, misrepresentation, duress, unconscionability, and illegality. 
Performance: the scope and content of a contractual obligation, including conditions, the duty of good faith, and the impracticability defense. 
Remedies: the types of available remedies for a breach of contract, including various types of money damages and injunctive relief.

Learner Career Outcomes

33%

started a new career after completing these courses

33%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

25%

got a pay increase or promotion

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 39 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.94/5 (18 Ratings)

Ian Ayres

William K. Townsend Professor

Yale Law School

136,998 Learners

3 Courses

Learner Career Outcomes

33%

started a new career after completing these courses

33%

got a tangible career benefit from this course

25%

got a pay increase or promotion

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 39 hours to complete

English

Subtitles: English

Offered by

Yale University

For more than 300 years, Yale University has inspired the minds that inspire the world. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, Yale brings people and ideas together for positive impact around the globe. A research university that focuses on students and encourages learning as an essential way of life, Yale is a place for connection, creativity, and innovation among cultures and across disciplines.

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week

Week 1

7 hours to complete

SPECIAL CONTROLS ON PROMISSORY LIABILITY – FORMATION DEFENSES I

7 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 80 min), 11 readings, 8 quizzes

8 videos

Welcome to Contracts II2m

Capacity to Contract6m

Sherwood v. Walker - "Pregnant Cow"10m

Lenawee County Board of Health v. Messerly - "Mutual Mistake"10m

Laidlaw v. Organ - "War's Over"12m

Vokes v. Arthur Murray - "Dance Ripoff"10m

Hill v. Jones - " Termite Infestation"13m

Commentary: Promissory Fraud12m

11 readings

About the Course10m

The Uniform Commercial Code10m

The Restatement (2nd) of Contracts10m

Pre Course Survey10m

Recommended - Infancy5m

Recommended - Mental Incompetence and Intoxication5m

T.C. Sherwood v. Hiram Walker Case Decision10m

Lenawee County Board of Health v. William and Martha Messerly Case Decision15m

Peter Laidlaw v. Hector M. Organ Case Decision10m

Audrey E. Vokes v. Arthur Murray, Inc. Case Decision10m

Warren G. and Gloria R. Hill v. Ora G. and Barbara R. Jones Case Decision15m

8 practice exercises

Capacity to Contract30m

Sherwood v. Walker30m

Lenawee County Board of Health v. Messerly30m

Laidlaw v. Organ30m

Vokes v. Arthur Murray30m

Hill v. Jones30m

Promissory Fraud30m

Special Controls on Promissory Liability – Formation Defenses I

Week

Week 2

7 hours to complete

SPECIAL CONTROLS ON PROMISSORY LIABILITY – FORMATION DEFENSES II

7 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 93 min), 9 readings, 9 quizzes

8 videos

Austin Instrument v. Loral - " Radar Sets"11m

Fleet v. U.S. Consumer Council - "Substantive Unconscionability"12m

Ferguson v. Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc - "One Sided Arbitration"11m

Sinnar v. Le Roy - "Beer Bribe"13m

Data Management, Inc. v. Greene - "Covenant Not to Compete"12m

Watts v. Watts - "Cohabitation K"9m

Kass v. Kass & AZ v. BZ - "Frozen Embryos"11m

Wallis v. Smith - "Unwanted Child"11m

9 readings

Austin Instrument, Inc. v. Loral Corp.10m

Restatement (Second) §§ 174-17710m

In re Louis Fleet v. United States Consumer Council Case Decision10m

Misty Ferguson v. Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc. Case Decision15m

John W. Sinnar v. Harry K. Le Roy Case Decision5m

Data Management, Inc. v. James H. Greene Case Decision10m

Sue Ann Watts v. James E. Watts Case Decision15m

Frozen Embryo Case Decisions25m

Peter Wallis v. Kellie Rae Smith Case Decision10m

9 practice exercises

Austin Instrument v. Loral30m

Fleet v. U.S. Consumer Council30m

Ferguson v. Countrywide Credit Industries, Inc30m

Sinnar v. Leroy30m

Data Management, Inc. v. Greene30m

Watts v. Watts30m

Kass v. Kass & AZ v. BZ30m

Wallis v. Smith30m

Special Controls on Promissory Liability – Formation Defenses II

Week

Week 3

6 hours to complete

CONTRACT PERFORMANCE I

6 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 74 min), 8 readings, 8 quizzes

7 videos

Alaska Northern Dev. Inc. v. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. - UCC § 2-20210m

Pacific Gas & Elect. V. Thomas Drayage - "Steam Turbine Accident"8m

Frigaliment Importing Co. v. B.N.S. International Sales Corp - "Friendly Chicken"7m

Centronics Corp. v. Genicom Corp - "Unreleased Escrow"14m

Market Street Associates Limited Partnership v. Frey - "Posner’s Take on Good Faith"13m

Zapatha v. Dairy Mart - "Terminated Franchise"7m

Feld v. Henry S. Levy & Sons - "Good Faith Output"10m

8 readings

Alaska Northern Development, Inc. v. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. Case Decision20m

UCC § 2-202

Pacific Gas & Electric Co. v. G. W. Thomas Drayage & Rigging Co. Case Decision10m

Frigaliment Importing Co. v. B.N.S. International Sales Corp. Case Decision1m

Centronics Corporation v. Genicom Corporation Case Decision15m

Market Street Associates Limited Partnership v. Dale Frey Case Decision1m

Elaine Zapatha v. Dairy Mart, Inc. Case Decision15m

Fred Feld v. Henry S. Levy & Sons, Inc. Case Decision10m

8 practice exercises

Alaska Northern Dev. Inc. v. Alyeska Pipeline Service Co.30m

Pacific Gas & Elect. v. Thomas Drayage30m

Frigaliment Importing Co. v. B.N.S. Sales Corp30m

Centronics Corp. v. Genicom Corp.30m

Market Street Associates Limited Partnership v. Frey30m

Zapatha v. Dairy Mart30m

Feld v. Henry S. Levy & Sons30m

Contract Performance I

Week

Week 4

6 hours to complete

CONTRACT PERFORMANCE II

6 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 86 min), 6 readings, 8 quizzes

7 videos

Warranties and Representations (of Fact)15m

In re Carter’s Claim - Failing Finances14m

Clark v. West - "Casebook Case"15m

Ferguson v. Phoenix Assurance - "Untampered Safe"9m

U.S. v. Wegematic Corp. - "Costly Computer"12m

Taylor v. Caldwell - "Theater Fire"9m

Krell v. Henry - "Frustration"9m

6 readings

In re Carter’s Claim Case Decision1m

William L. Clark v. John B. West Case Decision15m

Forrest D. Ferguson v. Phoenix Assurance Company of New York Case Decision15m

United States v. Wegematic Corp.10m

Taylor v. Caldwell Case Decision10m

Krell v. Henry Case Decision10m

8 practice exercises

Warranties and Representations30m

In re Carter30m

Clark v. West30m

Ferguson v. Phoenix Assurance30m

U.S. v. Wegematic Corp30m

Taylor v. Caldwell30m

Krell v. Henry30m

Contract Performance II

Week

Week 5

5 hours to complete

REMEDIES I

5 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 61 min), 6 readings, 7 quizzes

6 videos

Hochster v. De La Tour - "Courier’s Alternative"7m

Taylor v. Johnston - "Premature Breeding Cancellation"11m

AMF v. McDonalds - "Cash for Cash Registers"13m

American Mech. Corp. v. Union of Lynn - "Duty to Mitigate"8m

Bernstein v. Nemeyer - "Restitution Option"10m

Locks v. Wade - "Lost Volume Profits"9m

6 readings

Albert Hochster v. Edgar De La Tour Case Decision10m

H.B. Taylor v. Elizabeth Johnston Case Decision20m

American Mechanical Corp. v. Union Machine Co. of Lynn, Inc. Case Decision10m

Sidney Bernstein v. Ronald Nemeyer Case Decision10m

Jerry Locks v. Gerald Wade Case Decision5m

UCC § 2-70810m

7 practice exercises

Hochster v. De La Tour30m

Taylor v. Johnston30m

AMF v. McDonalds30m

American Mech. Corp. v. Union of Lynn30m

Bernstein v. Nemeyer30m

Locks v. Wade30m

Remedies I

Week

Week 6

7 hours to complete

REMEDIES II

7 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 84 min), 8 readings, 8 quizzes

7 videos

Reliance Cooperage Corp. v. Treat - "Bourbon Staves"10m

Peevyhouse v. Garland Coal & Mining Co. - "Unmoved Dirt"10m

American Standard v. Schectman - "Diminution of Value v. Cost of Performance"13m

Hadley v. Baxendale - "Broken Crank Shaft Shipment"15m

Mental Anguish and Punitive Damages13m

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. v. Carbon County Coal - "Repudiated Coal Supply Contract"6m

Liquidated Damages and Settlements13m

8 readings

Reliance Cooperage Corp. v. Treat Case Decision15m

Willie Peevyhouse v. Garland Coal & Mining Company Case Decision15m

American Standard, Inc. v. Harold Schectman Case Decision10m

Joseph and Jonah Hadley v. Joseph Baxendale Case Decision10m

Janice Bohac v. Department of Agriculture Case Decision15m

Rite Aid Corp. v. Lake Shore Investors20m

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. v. Carbon County Coal Co. Case Decision10m

Cellphone Termination Fee Case Decisions15m

8 practice exercises

Reliance Cooperage Corp. v. Treat30m

Peevyhouse v. Garland Coal & Mining Co.30m

American Standard v. Schectman30m

Hadley v. Baxendale30m

Mental Anguish and Punitive Damages30m

Northern Indiana Public Service Co. v. Carbon County Coal30m

Liquidated Damages and Settlements30m

Remedies II

Week

Week 7

1 hour to complete

THIRD PARTY INTERESTs

1 hour to complete

1 video (Total 16 min), 1 reading, 1 quiz

1 video

Assignment and Delegation15m

1 reading

Post Course Survey10m

1 practice exercise

Assignment and Delegation30m

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American Contract Law II