Langley
Session Complete
📊 Score Breakdown
Rule Knowledge
32/40
Application
25/30
Issue Spotting
17/20
Precision
7/10
📚 Study Sheet
📕 Rules You Missed
Unilateral Contract / Consideration
Q2
Your answer
"No consideration because Sarah already did the dog-watching for free, so Tom isn't getting anything new..."
⚠️ What you missed: Didn't identify this as a unilateral contract or name the past consideration doctrine.
The Rule
In a unilateral contract, the offeror promises to pay only upon completed performance. The offeree accepts by performing, not by promising. "If you do X, I'll pay Y" = unilateral. Additionally, past consideration is NOT valid consideration - services already rendered cannot support a new promise.
EXAM TIP: Watch for "If you..." language - it signals unilateral contract. Any promise made AFTER services = past consideration trap.
Accord and Satisfaction
Q5
Your answer
"Under the pre-existing duty rule, paying less than you owe isn't consideration... the bank can collect."
⚠️ What you missed: Didn't notice that Victor paid EARLY - that's new consideration.
The Rule
Early payment IS new consideration. When a debtor pays before the due date, they give up the right to hold the money longer - that's a legal detriment. Combined with the creditor's promise to forgive the balance, you have a valid accord and satisfaction.
EXAM TIP: Always check the DATES. If payment is early, the pre-existing duty rule doesn't apply - early payment is new consideration.
✅ Rules You Nailed
✓
Q1 - Mailbox Rule / Revocation: Correctly identified that revocation must be communicated, and acceptance upon dispatch beat the sale.
✓
Q3 - Statute of Frauds: Got the one-year rule and correctly identified quantum meruit as fallback recovery.
✓
Q4 - UCC 2-209 / Pre-existing Duty: Excellent distinction between common law and UCC, correctly applied unforeseen circumstances exception.
✓
Q6 - UCC / Modification / Damages: Properly identified UCC governs goods, explained duress defense, and correctly limited damages to expectation.
🎯 Memorize Before Next Session
"If you do X, I'll pay Y" = unilateral contract (acceptance by performance only)
Past consideration = NOT valid consideration (services already rendered)
Early payment = NEW consideration (gives up right to hold money)
💡 Langley's Note
You've got solid instincts - you're spotting the right issues and your rule statements are accurate. But you're rushing through the facts. Both Q2 and Q5, you had the right doctrine in mind but missed a critical detail that changed the analysis. On Q2, you saw consideration but didn't recognize the unilateral contract structure. On Q5, you correctly cited pre-existing duty but didn't check the payment date against the due date.
Here's the fix: Before you start writing, take 10 seconds to list every fact in the hypo. The bar examiners put those details there for a reason. On your next session, I want you to identify contract TYPE first (bilateral vs unilateral) before diving into consideration analysis. That one habit will catch a lot of these.
You're close to Mode 3 territory. One more solid session and you'll be ready.
Here's the fix: Before you start writing, take 10 seconds to list every fact in the hypo. The bar examiners put those details there for a reason. On your next session, I want you to identify contract TYPE first (bilateral vs unilateral) before diving into consideration analysis. That one habit will catch a lot of these.
You're close to Mode 3 territory. One more solid session and you'll be ready.
🔄 What's Next?
🔗 TestiphAI Integration
Chris Cross
See contract rules in cross-examination
Casey
Analyze contract inconsistencies