Deck 13: Genuineness of Assent and Undue Influence

Question 1

Predictions about the future generally do not form the basis for fraud.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

An ambiguity in a contract may constitute a mutual mistake of a material fact.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Intentional misrepresentation is considered fraud.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Fraud in the factum occurs if a person is deceived as to the nature of his or her act and does not know what he or she is signing.

Question 5

When a mutual mistake of value occurs,the contract remains enforceable by either party.

Question 6

In most cases of unilateral mistake,the mistaken party is permitted to rescind the contract.

Question 7

Fraud in inducement occurs when the party does not know the terms of the contract.

Question 8

Mistakes in clerical or mathematical errors which are not the result of gross negligence are considered unilateral mistakes.

Question 9

If there has been a mutual mistake,the contract cannot be rescinded.

Question 10

Contracts involving fraud in the inception are void.

Question 11

To be actionable as fraud,the misrepresentation must have been the sole factor in inducing the innocent party to enter into the contract.

Question 12

A misrepresentation of a material fact is actionable as fraud only if it occurs by words.

Question 13

Unilateral mistake is a mistake in which only one party is mistaken about a material fact regarding the subject matter of a contract.

Question 14

An action to undo a contract is called restitution.

Question 15

The measure of damages awarded to the innocent party for fraud is the difference between the value of the property as represented and the actual value of the property.

Question 16

A unilateral mistake occurs if both parties know the object of the contract but are mistaken as to its value.

Question 17

Scienter means knowledge that a representation is false or that it was made without sufficient knowledge of the truth.

Question 18

A misrepresentation is considered fraud even if it is made without intent to deceive another party.

Question 19

A material fact is a fact that is irrelevant to the subject matter of a contract but pertains to the conduct of the parties.

Question 20

Assent of a party to a contract may be manifested in any manner sufficient to show agreement,including conduct.

Question 21

Misrepresentation of law is a fraud that occurs when a person makes a statement of fact that he or she honestly and reasonably believes to be true even though it is not.

Question 22

Contracts involving fraud in inducement are not voidable.

Question 23

If an innocent misrepresentation has been made,the aggrieved party may sue for damages.

Question 24

Taking advantage of another person's mental,emotional,or physical weakness and unduly persuading that person to enter into a contract constitutes duress.

Question 25

Duress is a situation in which one party threatens to do a wrongful act unless the other party enters into a contract.

Question 26

Heather chooses to buy a scarf at Macy's and reads the price on the tag as $50.She uses her credit card to pay for the scarf,but post-purchase,she notices that the price tag actually says $500.This is an instance of a(n)________.

A)bilateral mistake
B)mutual mistake of value
C)innocent misrepresentation
D)unilateral mistake

Question 27

During the sale of a house,if the seller does not inform the buyer about construction flaws of the house despite the buyer's enquiry,the seller is liable for fraud by concealment.

Question 28

________ is an action to undo a contract.

A)Rescission
B)Recession
C)Restitution
D)Inception

Question 29

Duress is said to have occurred only where a threat involved a physical harm.

Question 30

Kevin goes to the store to purchase a fully-automatic washing machine.He browses through several models of washing machines but does not let the salespersons know that he wants a fully-automatic model.While signing the sales contract,he does not notice that the model he is purchasing is a semi-automatic machine.After purchase,which of the following options does Kyle have?

A)Exchange the machine with a fully-automatic one and sue the store if its does not accept it.
B)Demand a full cash refund from the store for fraud in concealment.
C)Sue the store for its innocent misrepresentation.
D)Keep the semi-automatic washing machine as he made a unilateral mistake.

Question 31

When one party takes specific action to cover a material fact from another party,fraud by enticement occurs.

Question 32

In which of the following cases of assent is the rescission of a contract unenforceable?

A)mutual mistake of value
B)misrepresentation of a material fact
C)silence as misrepresentation
D)innocent misrepresentation

Question 33

If a seller does not disclose legal disputes involving the property being sold,he or she is liable for silence as misrepresentation.

Question 34

Which of the following is true of a unilateral mistake?

A)Only one mistake or ambiguity is present in the subject matter of the entire contract.
B)Out of several contracts drafted simultaneously between two parties,one has a mistake in its subject matter that does not concern the other contracts.
C)Only one party is mistaken about a material fact regarding the subject matter of a contract.
D)A single mistake about a material fact in the subject matter of a contract appears several times in the contract.

Question 35

Innocent misrepresentation is treated as a mutual mistake.

Question 36

If there is a confidential relationship between persons,any contract made by the servient party that benefits the dominant party is presumed to be entered into under undue influence.

Question 37

Physical duress occurs when there is physical harm to the contractual document,such as complete or partial destruction or manipulation of content.

Question 38

A misrepresentation of law is actionable as fraud as the innocent party cannot know every legal detail that applies to the situation.

Question 39

For a situation to be considered "undue influence," the persuasion by the wrongdoer must overcome the free will of the innocent party.

Question 40

A threat to bring a civil lawsuit unless someone enters into a contract constitutes duress.

Question 41

Melissa Harrison,a realtor,sells a house to the Smiths.Before the sale is finalized,Mr.Smith asks Melissa for details of repairs the house has undergone over the years.Melissa gives him details of minor repairs but hides all documents regarding a major plumbing defect that was repaired last year.Three months after the Smiths moved in,the defect reappeared that caused the first floor to flood,damaging their expensive carpet and furniture.Melissa is liable for which of the following frauds?

A)fraud in the inception
B)fraud in the inducement
C)fraud by concealment
D)fraud in the factum

Question 42

________ is a mistake made by both parties concerning an object that is important to the subject matter of a contract.

A)Mutual mistake of value
B)Mutual mistake of material fact
C)Elementary unilateral mistake
D)Fraud by concealment

Question 43

To prove fraud,which of the following elements must be shown?

A)The innocent party knew the wrongdoer.
B)The innocent party was the one who detected fraud.
C)The wrongdoer assumed a false identity.
D)The wrongdoer intended to deceive the innocent party.

Question 44

________ is an event that occurs when one person consciously decides to induce another person to rely and act on a misrepresentation.

A)Fraudulent misrepresentation
B)Unilateral mistake
C)Bilateral mistake
D)Erroneous misrepresentation

Question 45

What is scienter?

A)knowledge that a representation is false
B)undue influence used on a party to a contract
C)another term for duress
D)damages given to a victim of fraud

Question 46

Alice offers Richard a chance to work in her affiliate marketing program which,she claims,will make him a millionaire in three months.Richard makes the "mandatory investment" of $12,000 and becomes an affiliate.Soon,he realizes that such a program does not exist and that Alice has disappeared with the money.This is an instance of ________.

A)misrepresentation of law
B)fraud in the factum
C)fraud in inducement
D)duress

Question 47

________ occurs when the party knows what he or she is signing but has been fraudulently been led into the contract.

A)Fraud in the factum
B)Fraud in the inducement
C)Fraud by concealment
D)Misrepresentation of law

Question 48

Millie receives a parcel from her aunt in Indonesia.The delivery man asks her to sign an authorization document to receive the parcel.Millie signs without reading the document,as she is in a hurry.However,on the other side of the document are contract terms that transfer all of Millie's property to the delivery man.This is an instance of ________.

A)fraud in the inception
B)fraud in the inducement
C)fraud by concealment
D)misrepresentation of law

Question 49

John buys a watch for $100 at a vintage store.Later,the store learns that the watch was worn by Sean Connery in a James Bond movie and wishes to rescind the sales contract they have with John.Which of the following statements is true in this regard?

A)The store can rescind the contract immediately and refund $100 to John.
B)The store can recover from John the difference between the value of the watch and the amount paid by John.
C)The store can declare the contract void and pay John no money.
D)The store cannot rescind or void the contract.

Question 50

Contracts involving fraud in inducement are ________.

A)valid
B)void
C)voidable
D)non-rescindable

Question 51

Jeffrey became a victim of fraud when he entered a pyramid scheme which turned out to be a scam.In order to claim damages,Jeffrey has to prove which of the following?

A)misrepresentation
B)motive of the fraudster
C)economic injury
D)involvement in the pyramid scheme

Question 52

Intentional misrepresentation is commonly referred to as ________.

A)erroneous misrepresentation
B)fraud
C)duress
D)undue influence

Question 53

Which of the following constitute a mutual mistake of a material fact?

A)Martha selling her house to Graham and hiding the fact that its first floor is damaged
B)Martha and Graham agreeing on the sale of a house,both referring to different houses
C)Graham buying a house from Martha without asking her details of damages
D)Martha selling Graham an old vase for $20,both of them unaware that it is a valuable antique collectible

Question 54

________ occurs if a person is deceived as to the nature of his or her act and does not know what he or she is signing.

A)Fraud in the inducement
B)Fraud in the factum
C)Fraud by concealment
D)Fraud by suppression

Question 55

A contract in which both parties are mistaken about the value of the object of the contract is considered ________.

A)unenforceable
B)unconscionable
C)non-rescindable
D)void

Question 56

The measure of damages,recovered from a misrepresentation,is ________.

A)the actual value of the property
B)the represented value of the property
C)the difference between the value of the property as represented and the actual value of the property
D)twice the actual value of the property which includes punitive damages

Question 57

Which of the following occurs when one party intentionally hides a material fact from another party?

A)fraud in the inducement
B)fraud in concealment
C)silence as misrepresentation
D)misrepresentation of law

Question 58

Which of the following is true of misrepresentation of a material fact?

A)It can occur only by the words of the wrongdoer.
B)A misrepresentation is actionable as fraud only if it is the sole factor in inducing the innocent party to enter into the contract.
C)It is actionable as fraud if the misrepresentation is of a past or existing material fact.
D)Predictions about the future are considered basis for fraud.

Question 59

Joe buys a trailer from a used-car dealership.On enquiry,the dealer tells him that the trailer is in great condition.However,three days later,the trailer breaks down.Investigation by Joe reveals that the trailer had seven previous owners and that the engine has been replaced thrice.An automobile expert tells Joe that the trailer is dangerous.Which of the following frauds would the dealer be liable for?

A)fraud in the factum
B)fraud in the inducement
C)silence as misrepresentation
D)misrepresentation of law

Question 60

Which of the following is true of misrepresentation?

A)A misrepresentation is not actionable unless the innocent party relied on the misrepresentation and acted on it.
B)An innocent party who acts in reliance on a misrepresentation need not justify his or her reliance.
C)An innocent party must prove that the wrongdoer's misrepresentation was the sole reason he or she entered into the contract.
D)An innocent party need not prove economic injury to recover damages for fraud.

Question 61

While signing a contract,one of the parties misinterpreted a legal clause.Neither of the parties is a legal professional.Which of the following statements holds well in this scenario?

A)The party who misinterpreted the law is actionable for fraud.
B)The party who misinterpreted the law may rescind the contract.
C)The party who misinterpreted the law is not actionable for fraud.
D)The contract is declared unenforceable as the law has been misinterpreted.

Question 62

What is physical duress?

A)physically damaging the contract documents
B)signing a contract without the knowledge that it represents fraudulent information
C)threatening to physically harm someone if he or she does not sign a contract
D)persuading a person to rescind a valid contract by misrepresenting the facts

Question 63

Which of the following is true of duress?

A)It is liable for fraud.
B)A threat should involve physical harm for it to be actionable as duress.
C)It is a threat issued to make another person sign a contract.
D)Intoxicating a person to sign a contract is considered duress.

Question 64

________ is a situation in which one person takes advantage of another person's mental,emotional,or physical weakness and unduly persuades that person to enter into a contract.

A)Duress
B)Undue influence
C)Fraud
D)Scienter

Question 65

Explain the three kinds of mistakes that can be made by either party while entering a contract.When are contracts involving mistakes rescinded?

Question 66

Which of the following is true of undue influence in entering contracts?

A)Undue influence need not require the overcoming of the innocent party's free will.
B)Undue influence is not grounds for prosecution,as the innocent party has complete freedom to evaluate the terms of the contract.
C)A contract that is entered into because of undue influence is not voidable.
D)A fiduciary or confidential relationship must have existed between the parties for undue influence to be proven.

Question 67

Lucy wants a divorce from her husband but he wants to stay in the marriage.She threatens to bring a false criminal lawsuit claiming physical abuse from him if he doesn't sign the divorce papers.This is an instance of ________.

A)fraud
B)duress
C)undue influence
D)scienter

Question 68

Which of the following is not actionable as fraud?

A)misrepresentation of law
B)silence as misrepresentation
C)marriage to obtain rights of immigration
D)identity theft

Question 69

How is a mistake different from fraud?

Question 70

Which of the following constitutes duress?

A)a plaintiff threatening the defendant that he will not drop the lawsuit until the defendant pays him a certain amount of money
B)a teacher threatening a student that he will be expelled if he is found with cigarettes again
C)a wife threatening to commit suicide if her abusive husband does not stop beating her
D)a father using his dominant and fiduciary position to unduly influence his son into committing a crime

Question 71

Gary and Mary are siblings involved in a legal tangle over who gets possession of their ancestral home.Gary threatens to kill Mary's husband if she does not sign papers declaring Gary's sole ownership of their home.This is an instance of ________.

A)scienter
B)battery
C)undue influence
D)duress

Question 72

Explain undue influence with an example.

Question 73

Which of the following is true of misrepresentation?

A)Innocent misrepresentation is grounds for the aggrieved party to sue for damages.
B)Misrepresentation of law is not actionable as fraud.
C)Innocent misrepresentation cannot be treated as a mutual mistake.
D)Misrepresentation of law can never be grounds for rescission of the contract.

Question 74

Describe a case that involves fraud in the inducement.

Question 75

When Stella Finman got to know that she was terminally ill,she drafted a will leaving all her property to her son.During her period of illness,Stella was financially and emotionally supported by her lawyer as her son was mostly away.When the will was read upon her death,it said that her lawyer would get a 20 percent stake in Finman Corp.,a company Stella owned.Upon investigation,it was revealed that Stella's lawyer took advantage of Stella's weakness and persuaded her to change the contractual terms.This is an instance of ________.

A)undue influence
B)battery
C)duress
D)fraud

Question 76

Which of the following scenarios makes Tim liable for undue influence?

A)Tim uses a false identity,borrows $10,000 from Kelly,and disappears with the money.
B)Tim threatens to kill Carlos if Carlos does not sign a contract that transfers all his property to Tim.
C)Tim takes advantage of his grandmother's illness and persuades her to sign a will leaving all her property to him.
D)Tim threatens to bring a lawsuit against David if David does not make him a partner in his firm.

Question 77

________ is a situation in which one party threatens to do a wrongful act unless the other party enters into a contract.

A)Scienter
B)Duress
C)Battery
D)Assault

Question 78

What should be shown to prove fraud?

Question 79

Which of the following constitutes duress?

A)an event that occurs when one person consciously decides to induce another person to rely and act on a misrepresentation
B)a situation in which one person takes advantage of another person's mental,emotional,or physical weakness and unduly persuades that person to enter into a contract
C)a threat to commit extortion unless someone enters into a contract
D)the knowledge that a representation is false or that it was made without sufficient knowledge of the truth

Question 80

Leona drove into an eatery and ordered Volcano Chicken.Harry,who took her order,was a new employee who had started working in the eatery the same day.When asked if the chicken she ordered was very spicy,Leona was informed by Harry-who was not aware of all details of the eatery yet-that it was not.However,when Leona took a bite,she found the hot sauce extremely spicy which resulted in her choking on the piece of chicken and requiring medical help.Which of the following statements is true in this context?

A)Harry can be sued for fraud in inducement.
B)Harry's employment can be terminated for having committed fraud in inception.
C)Harry can be sued for innocent misrepresentation.
D)Harry cannot be sued for innocent misrepresentation.