This chapter discusses other ways in which a valid contract may be discharged, aside from the successful completion of established rights and duties. It also discusses possible remedies where a party breaches the contract. Under the normal rules of contract, a party is only discharged from a contract when that party has completed obligations under it. Having completed the contract each party is free of further obligations. A failure to complete the contract may lead to a breach of contract claim, although situations exist where the parties may release each other from further obligation—referred to as discharge by agreement—or the contract may have been partially or substantially performed. This chapter examines discharge through performance and agreement, how contracts may become frustrated, and the consequences and remedies following a breach of contract.
Chapter
10. Ending the Contract
Chapter
11. Discharge of the contract
This chapter examines the procedures and processes involved in the discharge of a contract. It describes the situations under which a contract will become discharged and discusses the four methods of discharge, namely discharge by performance, discharge by agreement, discharge by breach, and discharge by frustration. This chapter also explains that there are cases where a contract will be automatically discharged with no possibility of continuance (such as where the contract is discharged by frustration) and there are those where the actions of one party may result in the other party being entitled to terminate the contract (for example, breach of a condition) or may simply entitle him to recover damages only (for example, breach of a warranty).
