Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus

dc.contributor.authorHutchison, Andrew
dc.coverage.spatial60-73en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-08-24T07:28:28Z
dc.date.available2016-08-24T07:28:28Z
dc.date.issued2009-03-01
dc.description.abstractA common problem in contract law occurs when a supervening change of circumstances impacts upon contractual relations. Although performance does not become impossible, it may become more difficult. Indeed, the whole basis on which consent was originally based may fall away. In medieval times the impact of changed circumstances on a contract was mitigated by an implied condition, which reserved the right of a contracting party to withdraw from that contract if he or she would never have promised with hindsight of the altered circumstances. This doctrine came to be known as the clausula rebus sic stantibus. This article will trace the life of the clausula doctrine, from its origins in Roman moral philosophy, through canon law and the writings of theologians, to its arrival as a fully fledged doctrine in civil law. While change of circumstances remains a problem in contract today and is recognised as a ground for voiding – or even intervening in – contracts in some jurisdictions, it is not recognised in others, such as South Africa. This is due largely to a concern for certainty in contract, which caused the demise of the clausula doctrine in later years. This article will end with the fall from favour of this concept in the age of codification.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationHutchison, A. (2009). Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus. <i>Journal of Contemporary Roman Dutch Law</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21470en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationHutchison, Andrew "Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus." <i>Journal of Contemporary Roman Dutch Law</i> (2009) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21470en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationHutchison, A. (2009). Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus. Journal of Contemporary Roman Dutch Law, 72, 60.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1682-4490
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Hutchison, Andrew AB - A common problem in contract law occurs when a supervening change of circumstances impacts upon contractual relations. Although performance does not become impossible, it may become more difficult. Indeed, the whole basis on which consent was originally based may fall away. In medieval times the impact of changed circumstances on a contract was mitigated by an implied condition, which reserved the right of a contracting party to withdraw from that contract if he or she would never have promised with hindsight of the altered circumstances. This doctrine came to be known as the clausula rebus sic stantibus. This article will trace the life of the clausula doctrine, from its origins in Roman moral philosophy, through canon law and the writings of theologians, to its arrival as a fully fledged doctrine in civil law. While change of circumstances remains a problem in contract today and is recognised as a ground for voiding – or even intervening in – contracts in some jurisdictions, it is not recognised in others, such as South Africa. This is due largely to a concern for certainty in contract, which caused the demise of the clausula doctrine in later years. This article will end with the fall from favour of this concept in the age of codification. DA - 2009-03-01 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town J1 - Journal of Contemporary Roman Dutch Law KW - Law KW - Contract KW - Change of circumstances KW - Clausula rebus sic stantibus KW - Legal history LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2009 SM - 1682-4490 T1 - Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus TI - Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21470 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/21470
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationHutchison A. Change of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibus. Journal of Contemporary Roman Dutch Law. 2009; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/21470.en_ZA
dc.languageengen_ZA
dc.publisherLexisNexisen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Commercial Lawen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Lawen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.sourceJournal of Contemporary Roman Dutch Lawen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://archivedpublicwebsite.up.ac.za/research/2011/Output/10544.html#2
dc.subjectLaw
dc.subjectContract
dc.subjectChange of circumstances
dc.subjectClausula rebus sic stantibus
dc.subjectLegal history
dc.titleChange of circumstances in contract law: The clausula rebus sic stantibusen_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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