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Ian Ayres

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American Contract Law I

Yale University

About this Course

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American Contract Law I (along with its sister course Contracts 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: how a valid and enforceable contract is created, including concepts such as offer, acceptance, consideration, and promissory estoppel.

Flexible deadlines

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Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

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Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 32 hours to complete

English

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Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Beginner Level

Approx. 32 hours to complete

English

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Try Coursera for Business

Instructor

Instructor rating

4.85/5 (259 Ratings)

Ian Ayres

William K. Townsend Professor

Yale Law School

188,677 Learners

3 Courses

Offered by

Yale University

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Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Content Rating98%(6,066 ratings)

Week1

Week 1

7 hours to complete

Introduction

7 hours to complete

12 videos (Total 145 min), 13 readings, 5 quizzes

12 videos

Welcome to Contracts5mDefault Rules, Altering Rules and Mandatory Rules13mHammer v. Sidway12mRicketts v. Scothorn11mBolin Farms v. American Cotton Shippers7mThe Ex Ante and Ex Post Perspectives14mWilliams v. Walker-Thomas Furniture - "Installment Loan"16mEnforcement of Money Judgments9mProperty Rules and Liability8mJacob & Youngs v. Kent15mSullivan v. O'Connor - "Nose Job"22mThe Coase Theorem7m

13 readings

About the Course10mThe Uniform Commercial Code5mThe Restatement (2nd) of Contracts5mPre Course Survey10mFilling Gaps in Incomplete Contracts (recommended)10mUCC §§1-102, 1-103, 2-10210mHamer v. Sidway Case Decision15mRicketts v. Scothorn Case Decision15mBolin Farms v. American Cotton Shippers Case Decision15mWilliams v. Walker- Thomas Furniture Case Decision15mProperty Rules, Liability Rules and Inalienability10mJacob & Youngs v. Kent Case Decision15mSullivan v. O’Connor Case Decision20m

5 practice exercises

Ricketts v. Scothorn30mBolin Farms v. American Cotton Shippers30mWilliams v. Walker-Thomas Furniture30mJacob & Youngs v. Kent30mIntroduction20m

Week2

Week 2

5 hours to complete

CONSIDERATION AND ITS SUBSTITUTES THE CONSIDERATION DOCTRINE I

5 hours to complete

7 videos (Total 84 min), 7 readings, 6 quizzes

7 videos

Kirksey v. Kirksey - "Moving Inconvenience"11mLanger v. Superior Steel - "Repudiated Pension"11mNominal Consideration, The Seal and the Model Written Obligation Act13mCohen v. Cowles Media Co. "Journalist's Source"11mApfel v Prudential-Bache Securities "Worthless Computer Technique"8mJones v Star Credit11mAlaska Packers' Assn' v. Domenico - "Sailors' Salary Increase"16m

7 readings

Isaac Kirksey v. Angelico Kirksey Case Decision10mWilliam F. Langer v. Superior Steel Corp. Case Decision10mNominal Consideration, The Seal and The Model Written Obligation Act10mDan Cohen v. Cowles Media Co. Case Decision10mRobert C. Apfel v. Prudential–Bache Securities, Inc.10mClifton Jones v. Star Credit Corp. Case Decision10mAlaska Packers’ Association v. Domenico Case Decision1m

6 practice exercises

Kirksey v. Kirksey30mNominal Consideration30mApfel v. Prudential-Bache Securities30mJones v. Star Credit Corp.30mAlaska Packers' Association v. Domenico30mConsideration and its Substitutes the Consideration Doctrine I30m

Week3

Week 3

5 hours to complete

CONSIDERATION AND ITS SUBSTITUTES THE CONSIDERATION DOCTRINE II

5 hours to complete

6 videos (Total 69 min), 7 readings, 7 quizzes

6 videos

McMichael v. Price - "Sand Requirements"7mWood v. Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon - "Output Contract for Product Endorsements"10mBailey v. West - "Bascom's Folly"18mMills v. Wyman - "Moral Obligation" & Webb v. McGowin - "Rescuer’s Recompense"9mAllegheny College v. Nat. Chautauqua County Bank - "Donation"9mStatute of Frauds13m

7 readings

W. M. McMichael v. Harley T. Price Case Decision10mOtis F. Wood v. Lucy, Lady Duff–Gordon Case Decision10mHoward E. Bailey v. Richard E. West Case Decision2mSecond Restatement § 865mDaniel Mills v. Seth Wyman10mJoe Webb v. N. Floyd and Joseph F. McGowin Case Decision15mAllegheny College v. National Chautauqua County Bank of Jamestown Case Decision20m

7 practice exercises

McMichael v. Price30mWood v. Lucy, Lady Duff-Gordon30mBailey v. West30mMills v. Wyman30mAllegheny College v. Nat. Chautauqua County Bank30mStatute of Frauds30mConsideration and its Substitutes the Consideration Doctrine II

Week4

Week 4

3 hours to complete

THE BARGAIN RELATIONSHIP I

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 42 min), 5 readings, 4 quizzes

4 videos

Embry v Hargadine - "Manifestation of Mutual Assent"13mLucy v. Zehmer - "Joking Offer"7mLefkowitz v. Great Minn. Surplus Store - "Ambiguous Offer"8mLeonard v. Pepsico - "Harrier Jet Ad"12m

5 readings

Embry v. Hargadine, McKittrick Dry Goods Co. Case Decision10mUCC §§ 2-204, -205. -206, & -20720mW.O. Lucy v. A.H. Zehmer10mMorris Lefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store Case Decision10mJohn Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc. Case Decision20m

4 practice exercises

Lucy v. Zehmer30mLefkowitz v. Great Minneapolis Surplus Store30mLeonard v. Pepsico30mThe Bargain Relationship I

Week5

Week 5

4 hours to complete

THE BARGAIN RELATIONSHIP II

4 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 66 min), 5 readings, 5 quizzes

5 videos

Ever-Tite Roofing v. Green - "Performance as Acceptance"12mCarlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball - "Medical Warrantee"9mAmmons v. Wison & Co. - "K.C. Shortening"9mBeneficial National Bank, USA v. Obie Payton - "Unilateral Credit Card Change"16mAdams v. Lindsell - "Misdirected Missive"17m

5 readings

Ever–Tite Roofing Corp. v. G.T. Green Case Decision15mLouisa Elizabeth Carlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball Co. Case Decision15mR.L. Ammons v. Wilson & Co. Case Brief10mBeneficial National Bank, U.S.A v. Obie Payton Case Decision15mAdams v. Lindsell Case Decision10m

5 practice exercises

Ever-Tite Roofing v. Green30mCarlill v. Carbolic Smoke Ball30mAmmons v. Wilson & Co.30mBeneficial National Bank, USA v. Obie Payton30mThe Bargain Relationship II

Week6

Week 6

4 hours to complete

THE BARGAIN RELATIONSHIP III

4 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 48 min), 4 readings, 5 quizzes

4 videos

Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway v. Columbus Rolling-Mill - "The Mirror Image Rule"10mTextile Unlimited, Inc. v. A . BMH and Company - "Yarn Battle of Forms"14mThe Gateway Cases - "Acceptance by Non-Return"9mSpecht v. Netscape - "No Clickwrap"13m

4 readings

Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway Co. v. Columbus Rolling–Mill Co. Case Decision10mTextile Unlimited, Inc. v. A. .BMH and Company, Inc. Case Decision15mRich Hill v. Gateway 2000 & William Klocek v. Gateway Case Decisions20mChristopher Specht v. Netscape Communications Corporation Case Decision15m

5 practice exercises

Minneapolis & St. Louis Railway v. Columbus Rolling-Mill30mTextile Unlimited, Inc. v. A. BMH and Company30mThe Gateway Cases30mSpecht v. Netscape30mThe Bargain Relationship III

Week7

Week 7

3 hours to complete

THE BARGAIN RELATIONSHIP IV

3 hours to complete

4 videos (Total 50 min), 5 readings, 4 quizzes

4 videos

Drennan v. Star Paving - "Mistaken Bid"13mRaffles v. Wichelhaus - "Peerless Ships"8mHoffman v. Red Owl Stores - "Promised Store"15mDixon v. Wells Fargo - "Unfulfilled Mortgage Modification"12m

5 readings

William Drennan v. Star Paving Co. Case Decision15mRaffles v. Wichelhaus Case Decision10mJoseph Hoffman v. Red Owl Stores, Inc. Case Decision15mFrank Dixon v. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.15mCongratulations!10m

4 practice exercises

Drennan v. Star Paving30mRaffles v. Wichelhaus30mDixon v. Wells Fargo30mThe Bargain Relationship IV

Reviews

4.9

197 reviews

5 stars
88.78%
4 stars
9.63%
3 stars
0.73%
2 stars
0.36%
1 star
0.48%

TOP REVIEWS FROM AMERICAN CONTRACT LAW I

by AJOct 27, 2019

It was really an wonderful journey. Thank you to the coursera for providing me with the financial support to complete this course. Also thank to Yale University for providing this amazing lecture.

by TSAug 28, 2020

Thank you for this informative course. I found week 1 required the most effort and then the contents and cases become easier to understand as the weeks past.

by NBMar 4, 2021

An excellent introduction into the laws pertaining to the formation of contracts. Cases are well explained and the professor's lectures are easy to follow and understand.

by JBMar 9, 2021

This is a wonderful class to learn new terms and new skills. It was challenging and rewarding and I look forward to Contract Law II

View all reviews

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American Contract Law I

American Contract Law I

About this Course