12–2. offer and acceptance. schmidt, the owner of a small business, has a large piece of used farm equipment for sale. he offers to sell the equipment to barry for $10,000. discuss the legal effects of the following events on the offer: (see page 249.)

Schmidt, the owner of a small business, has a large piece of used farm equipment for sale. He offers to sell the equipment to Barry for $10,000. Discuss the legal effects of the following events on the offer:  

•Schmidt dies prior to Barry’s acceptance, and at the time he accepts, Barry is unaware of Schmidt’s death.  

•The night before Barry accepts, fire destroys the equipment.  

•Barry pays $100 for a thirty-day option to purchase the equipment. During this period, Schmidt dies, and later Barry accepts the offer, knowing of Schmidt’s death.  

•Barry pays $100 for a thirty-day option to purchase the equipment. During this period, Barry dies, and Barry’s estate accepts Schmidt’s offer within the stipulated time period.

Explanation:

A contact is a binding agreement between two or more people.

Schmidt dies prior to Barry’s acceptance, and at the time he accepts, Barry is unaware of Schmidt’s death: Schmidt's death would normally null this offer but because Barry is unaware of his death at the time of acceptance, and the offer is not for a personal service, the offer holds.

The night before Barry accepts, fire destroys the equipment: there is no binding contract before a buyer accepts an offer.  

Barry pays $100 for a thirty-day option to purchase the equipment. During this period, Schmidt dies, and later Barry accepts the offer, knowing of Schmidt’s death: The option keeps the offer alive regardless of Schmidt’s death as long as Barry paid for the option .

Barry pays $100 for a thirty-day option to purchase the equipment. During this period, Barry dies, and Barry’s estate accepts Schmidt’s offer within the stipulated time period: the death of the offeree, in this case Barry, would normally nullify the offer but due to the option and the acceptance within the stipulated time,  the offer holds.

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