Meeting of the minds: when an agreement becomes a contract
Courts decide whether a contract exists by looking at what each side said and did — not at what either one was privately thinking.
Topic
Contract law guides
When an agreement becomes binding, and what a breach claim has to show.
Contract disputes usually come down to two questions: was there a deal, and did someone fail to keep it? These guides take each question in turn, starting with how courts decide whether the parties actually reached an agreement.
Contract rules vary by state, and sales of goods follow rules of their own.
The guides
Breach of contract: what you need to show
A breach case usually turns on four things you can show with ordinary records — but the exact elements, defenses, and deadlines depend on your state.
General principles, with California court self-help guidance and California civil jury instructions (CACI) as the labeled state example. Elements, remedies and deadlines differ by state. The guide does not cover sales of goods rules in detail.