Contract Law: Unilateral and Implied Contracts Analyzed
This paper analyzes two contract law scenarios to determine whether valid contracts existed and whether they were breached. The first case examines Monica's participation in the Pioneer Trail Ultramarathon, where Rocky Mountain Races, Inc. offered a $10,000 prize but paid only $1,000. The analysis concludes that a unilateral contract was formed upon Monica's acceptance through performance, making the amendment clause unenforceable after acceptance. The second case considers whether Janine is liable for nursing services she did not explicitly contract for. Applying the doctrine of implied contracts, the paper concludes that Janine's failure to reject the services during the at-home care period establishes an implied contract obligating her to pay the billed amount.
- Case One: The Ultramarathon Prize Dispute: Facts of the race prize breach claim
- Legal Issues in the Ultramarathon Case: Whether a valid contract existed with Monica
- Analysis and Conclusion: Unilateral Contract: Amendment clause invalid after acceptance by performance
- Case Two: The Nursing Services Billing Dispute: Facts of the unpaid nursing services claim
- Legal Issues in the Nursing Services Case: Implied contract doctrine and three-part test
- Analysis and Conclusion: Implied Contract: Janine liable under implied contract theory
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper applies a consistent IRAC-style structure (Issue, Analysis, Conclusion) to each case, making the legal reasoning easy to follow and evaluate.
- It correctly identifies the operative contract doctrines — unilateral contract and implied contract — and ties each one directly to the facts presented.
- The discussion of the amendment clause in Case One demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the timing of offer acceptance, strengthening the legal argument.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates the application of legal doctrine to hypothetical facts — a foundational technique in law and business law courses. Rather than simply defining contract types, the author maps each element of the relevant doctrine (e.g., the three conditions for an implied contract) onto the specific facts of each case, producing a logical and well-supported conclusion.
Structure breakdown
The paper is divided into two parallel parts, each containing a Summary of Facts, Legal Issues, Analysis, and Conclusion. This mirrored structure allows for clear comparison across cases. Each section builds progressively from fact identification to legal rule identification to application, culminating in a direct verdict. The paper is supported by a single primary textbook source cited consistently throughout.
Case One: The Ultramarathon Prize Dispute
Monica (the plaintiff) enters a race called the Pioneer Trail Ultramarathon, in which Rocky Mountain Races, Inc. (the defendant), the race sponsor, advertises a first-place prize of $10,000. Under the rules established by Rocky Mountain Races, Inc., competitors must run from the Blackwater Canyon floor all the way to the peak of Pinnacle Mountain. Monica wins the race but is offered only $1,000 by Rocky Mountain Races, Inc., rather than the advertised first-place prize of $10,000. It is important to note that Rocky Mountain Races, Inc.'s rules of participation explicitly permit it to adjust race terms at any point. Monica sues for breach of contract.
Legal Issues in the Ultramarathon Case
The central legal question is whether a valid contract existed between Monica and Rocky Mountain Races, Inc. To succeed, Monica must prove that a valid contract existed between her and Rocky Mountain Races, Inc., that the contract's terms were breached, and that she suffered damages as a result.
It is important to note that in instances where "the offer is phrased so that the offeree can accept the offer only by completing the contract performance, the contract is a unilateral contract" (Miller, 2014, p. 209). A race offering a cash prize to the winner is a classic example of such an arrangement, as acceptance occurs through the act of completing the performance — that is, finishing the race.
Analysis and Conclusion: Unilateral Contract
Monica accepted the offer and completed the contract by participating in and winning the race. The clause by which Rocky Mountain Races, Inc. reserves the right to amend race terms is only valid before the offeree — Monica — accepts the offer. Once Monica began performance, the terms of the offer became fixed and could not be unilaterally altered by the sponsor.
The unilateral contract between Rocky Mountain Races, Inc. and Monica is therefore legally binding. No changes to the race terms were made before acceptance, which in this case is constituted by Monica's participation in and completion of the race. Accordingly, Rocky Mountain Races, Inc. is liable for the full advertised prize of $10,000.
Case Two: The Nursing Services Billing Dispute
On the recommendation of her doctor, and upon request by the hospital where she is admitted for severe abdominal pain, Janine is provided with a full month of nursing care by Nursing Services Unlimited — two weeks of in-hospital care followed by two weeks of at-home care. Upon her recovery, Nursing Services Unlimited presents her with a bill of $4,000 for services rendered. Janine refuses to pay on the grounds that she never contracted for the services, either in writing or orally. Nursing Services Unlimited sues to recover the billed amount.
References
Miller, R. L. (2014). Business Law: The First Course — Summarized-Case Edition. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
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