Contract Lawyers Minneapolis | Getting Out of Contract in Minnesota

This is an odd article to write for a Minnesota contract lawyer who spends most of his contract law practice making sure that the terms of a contract are enforceable. Yet, occasionally, I have clients who are looking for a way to get out of a contract for many reasons. Some of these clients suddenly found themselves in a situation where compliance with the contract terms is no longer economically feasible or desirable. Others have personal reasons which make continuation of compliance with a contract non-practical and even personally disagreeable (especially in business partnerships).

Lawyer-Written versus Non-Lawyer Written Contracts

For the purposes of getting out of contract, the situations where one party suddenly wishes to attack the enforceability of a contract can be divided into two large categories. The first category involves contracts written, or rather copied from other sources (especially Internet), by the parties themselves. In this case, the contracts are usually inadequately drafted and contain many errors and omissions. Naturally, this type of contracts is much easier to attack for someone who wishes to avoid his contractual obligations.

On the other hand, the contracts in the second category are drafted by Minnesota contract attorneys. Usually, these contracts are based on the court-tested provisions, involve multiple levels of defense, constrict venues of attack, and prescribe certain procedures for disputing the enforceability of the contract. These contracts present a much more difficult target than those in the first category.

Methods for Getting Out of Contract

Irrespective of the category to which a contract belongs, Minnesota contract litigation lawyers usually utilize five broad methods for helping their clients avoid their contractual obligations.

1. Exit Provision in the Contract

First, the most simple method is to take advantage of the provisions that a contract already contains. Most of the contracts I draft for my clients contain negotiated “exit” provisions, which prescribe the procedure for either contract termination or withdrawal of a party from a contract.

This is especially true in the case of entity governance contracts such as Partnership Agreements, Member Control and Operating Agreements (for multi-member LLCs), corporate Bylaws, and so on. Also, Independent Contractor Agreements, in order to comply with law, often include a very detailed contract termination procedure. Sales contracts often utilize a “liquidated damages” clause to cap the amount of damages.

2. Validity of Contract

The second method is to attack the validity of the contract itself. Some of these attacks, such as lack of adequate consideration or the Statute of Frauds, will be based on the terms or form (i.e. oral versus written) of a contract; others, such as lack of legal capacity or the doctrine of unconscionability, will focus on the broad factual context which led to the creation of the contract. The precise method of attacking the validity of the contract should be chosen by a Minnesota contract litigation lawyer (if you live in Twin Cities, try locating a Minneapolis contract litigation attorney or St. Paul contract litigation attorney).

3. Contract Construction

The third method is to reinterpret the contract in such a way as to modify parties’ obligations. Here, the issue is the contract construction – interpretation of contractual terms based on the rules of contract construction and the facts of a specific case, including the parties’ course of dealing. If this is a contract for a sale of goods, UCC terms may determine the outcome. This method requires a very deep understanding of contract law. Therefore, only Minnesota contract litigation lawyers should be involved in implementing this strategy (again, if you live in Twin Cities, try locating a Minneapolis contract litigation attorney or St. Paul contract litigation attorney).

It should be noted that contract construction is involved to a varying degree in all of the methods described in this article. This is why it is crucial to retain a Minnesota contact lawyer as soon as possible.

4. Excuse for Non-Performance

The fourth method is to find an excuse for the non-performance of a party’s obligations under the contract. Notice the difference between the fourth and the second method – in the fourth method, the contract is assumed to be valid, but a party’s breach of this contract is discharged for some reason. Examples of this method include: doctrines of Impossibility and Frustration of Purpose, discharge by a later contract (for example: rescission, release, et cetera), change in law, and so on. It is up to your particular Minnesota contract litigation lawyer to determine which of these excuses applies and how to prove it in court.

5. Breach

Finally, the fifth method is to just breach the contract. Generally, there are two situations where a Minnesota contract lawyer may advise this course of action. First, whether the benefits of the breach of contract are likely to substantially outweigh the damages the breaching party will need to pay. Second, where the contact is breached in such a way as to significantly reduce the damages. Again, the circumstances of a particular case will determine whether this method should be utilized.

Conclusion

Getting out of contract in Minnesota is not easy. Yet, it may be possible if there is a right combination of facts and legal strategy. Once the plan of attack is established, its implementation will require skillful implementation by your contract lawyer.

Sherayzen Law Office can help you analyze your case, choose the legal strategy right for you, and vigorously and skillfully implement this strategy in negotiations as well as in court.

Call NOW to talk with an experienced contract law attorney!