English Contract Law/Glossary

This is a glossary of legal terms used in this book.

Acceptance A non-conditional affirmation by an offeree that they are willing to contract in the terms of an offer.
Bilateral A contract where each of the parties have reciprocal obligations.
Claimant The party who brings a legal action (outside of the criminal context), who makes a claim.
Common law The original legal system in England, administered in medieval times by royally-appointed judges.
Defendant The party against whom a legal action is brought, who is called upon to defend themselves.
Donation Legal term for gift, whether of goods, services or legal rights.
Donee The party who receives under a donation.
Donor The party who gives under a donation.
Equity A legal system developed in late medieval England by the Lord Chancellor as a means of mitigating and correcting the rigidity of the original common law.
Objective intention Intention inferred by the reasonable onlooker from a person's conduct (or lack of).
Offer A statement made setting out terms by which an offeror is willing to be bound.
Offeree One who receives an offer.
Offeror One who makes an offer.
Promisee Party who benefits from a contractual obligation undertaken towards them by another, loosely person to whom a promise is made.
Promisor Party who undertakes a contractual obligation towards another, loosely person by whom a promise is made.
Subjective intention The psychological, internal motivation for a person's actions.
Unilateral A contract under which only one party has obligations.