13. Breach of contract

Poole’s Casebook on Contract Law provides a comprehensive selection of case law that addresses all aspects of the subject encountered on undergraduate courses. The performance obligations of the parties to a contract are determined by contractual terms. A breach of contract arises when a party fails to fully comply with a performance obligation, without lawful excuse. If a contractual obligation is strict, failure to comply constitutes a breach of contract regardless of fault. Subject to an enforceable exemption clause, the injured party is entitled to damages to compensate for the loss suffered as a result of the breach. This chapter focuses on breach of contract and its legal consequences. It discusses the election on repudiatory breach; termination or affirmation of a contract; the classification of terms: conditions, warranties, and innominate or intermediate terms; the ‘entire obligation rule’; and anticipatory breach.