Formation of Contracts
Explanation
يتطلب تكوين العقود وجود الرضى (le consentement) الذي يمثل اجتماع مشيئتين أو أكثر لإنشاء علاقات إلزامية. يتألف هذا الرضى من عنصرين أساسيين هما العرض أو الإيجاب (l'offre) والقبول (l'acceptation). وقد يتطلب القبول مساومات طويلة ومتعددة الوجوه، باستثناء ما يسمى بعقود الموافقة.
في المبدأ العام، لا يكون الإيجاب، سواء كان صريحا أو ضمنيا، ملزما لصاحبه. يحق للموجب الرجوع عن إيجابه إذا أراد ذلك. كما أن وفاة صاحب الإيجاب أو فقدانه الأهلية الشرعية يؤديان إلى جعل الإيجاب لغوا ولا أثر له.
توجد استثناءات يصبح فيها الإيجاب ملزما ويستمر رغم وفاة الموجب أو فقدانه الأهلية. يحصل ذلك إذا تبين من ماهية الإيجاب أو الظروف أو نص القانون أن الموجب نوى إلزام نفسه. من أبرز هذه الحالات أن يكون الإيجاب مقرونا بمهلة صريحة، أو في أمور تجارية، أو بالمراسلة، أو وعدا بمكافأة.
بالنسبة لمن يوجه إليه العرض، فهو حر في الرفض ولا يتحمل أي مسؤولية عن امتناعه عن التعاقد. لكن هذا المبدأ يتغير إذا كان هذا الشخص قد أوجد حالة تستدرج العرض، مثل التاجر، أو صاحب الفندق، أو صاحب المطعم، أو رب العمل. في هذه الحالات، يجب أن يكون الرفض مبنيا على أسباب مقبولة، وإلا اعتبر امتناعه استبداديا ورتب عليه التبعة.
أما بالنسبة للأشخاص الحاضرين في مجلس العقد، فإن الرضى يعتبر موجودا والعقد منشأ في اللحظة التي يقترن فيها القبول بالإيجاب. يشترط لذلك أن يكون المتعاقدان متفقين على شروط العقد، وألا يكونا قد اتفقا مسبقا على إفراغ العقد في صيغة معينة اختاروها له.
Official legal articles
Think deeper
لماذا برأيك استثنى القانون الإيجاب بالمراسلة أو الإيجاب في الأمور التجارية من قاعدة سقوط الإيجاب بالوفاة وجعله ملزما؟
Flashcards
What are the two elements that make up consent in contracts?
The offer and the acceptance.
What is the general principle regarding the binding force of an express or implied offer?
It is fundamentally not binding on its maker, and they can revoke it.
What is the effect of the offeror's death or loss of legal capacity in normal cases?
They render the offer void.
Mention two cases where the offer remains binding despite the death of its maker.
If the offer is coupled with an express time limit, in commercial matters, by correspondence, or as a promise of a reward.
Does the person to whom the offer is directed bear liability for their refusal to contract in principle?
No, they are fundamentally free to refuse and bear no liability for their refusal.
When is a restaurant owner's refusal to contract considered arbitrary and entails liability?
If they do not base their refusal to contract on acceptable reasons.
When is a contract considered formed between present persons?
At the time the acceptance matches the offer and they agree on the terms, unless they agreed on a specific format.
Practice questions
What happens to the offer if its maker dies before acceptance in normal cases?
The death of the offeror or their loss of legal capacity fundamentally renders the offer void (Article 179).
Which of the following cases makes the offer binding and continues despite the loss of capacity?
The offer continues despite death or loss of capacity in certain cases, including if the offer is by correspondence (Article 179).
When is a contract formed between present persons?
The contract is considered formed between present persons at the time the acceptance matches the offer (Article 183).
Does acceptance require negotiations between the contracting parties?
Acceptance requires negotiations that may be long and multifaceted, except in contracts of adhesion (Article 178).
Case problems
A merchant sent an offer to sell goods to another person via mail (by correspondence). The next day, the merchant died. The offer reached the other person, who accepted it immediately. Is the offer considered void due to the merchant's death?
Model answer
The offer is not considered void in this case.
The general rule is that the death of the offeror fundamentally renders the offer void (Article 179).
However, the law established exceptions where the offer continues despite the occurrence of death.
Among these exceptions are when the offer is by correspondence, or in commercial matters.
Since the offer was made by correspondence and is between merchants, it remains binding and continues despite the merchant's death.
Self-grading rubric
A person entered a hotel and asked to rent a room. The hotel owner refused to rent them a room without providing any reason, despite the presence of empty rooms. Does the hotel owner bear responsibility for this refusal?
Model answer
Yes, the hotel owner bears responsibility for their refusal.
The person to whom the offer is directed is fundamentally free to refuse (Article 181).
However, the hotel owner themselves created a situation that would invite an offer from the public.
In this case, the law requires that they base their refusal to contract on acceptable reasons.
Since they refused without a reason, their refusal is considered arbitrary and entails liability.
Self-grading rubric
Two people met face to face. The first offered to sell their car for a specific amount, and the second accepted immediately with all the terms. The parties did not agree to write the contract in a specific format. When is this contract considered formed?
Model answer
The contract is considered formed at the time the acceptance matched the offer.
Consent is considered to exist and the contract formed between present persons when acceptance matches the offer (Article 183).
Since the two persons are present and agreed on the terms of contracting, consent is considered to exist.
Because they did not agree to create the contract in a specific format, the contract is formed immediately at the moment the acceptance matches the offer.