Contracts - Deposit and Penalty

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Civil Code:

第 248 條

訂約當事人之一方，由他方受有定金時，推定其契約成立。

Article 248   

When one of the parties to a contract receives earnest money from the other, the contract is presumed to be constituted.

Vocabulary

訂約  [dìngyuē]  /establishing a contract/

當事人  [dāngshìrén]  /persons involved or implicated/party (to an affair)/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

一方  [yīfāng]  /one side/one party/

由  [yóu]  /from/

他  [tā]  /he/him/

受  [shòu]  /to receive/

有  [yǒu]  /to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be/

定金  [dìngjīn]  /deposit/

時  [shí]  /when/

推定  [tuīdìng]  /presume/

其  [qí]  /their/

契約  [qìyuē]  /agreement/contract/

成立  [chénglì]  /establish/set up/

Contracts - Requirement of Meeting of Minds

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Civil Code:

Article

第 153 條

當事人互相表示意思一致者，無論其為明示或默示，契約即為成立。

當事人對於必要之點，意思一致，而對於非必要之點，未經表示意思者，推定其契約為成立，關於該非必要之點，當事人意思不一致時，法院應依其事件之性質定之。

Article 153   

When the parties have reciprocally declared their concordant intent, either expressly or impliedly, a contract shall be constituted.

If the parties agree on all the essential elements of the contract but have expressed no intent as to the non-essential elements, the contract shall be presumed to be constituted. In the absence of an agreement on the above-mentioned non-essential elements, the court shall decide them according to the nature of the affair.

Vocabulary

當事人  [dāngshìrén]  /persons involved or implicated/party (to an affair)/

互相  [hùxiāng]  /each other/mutually/mutual/

表示  [biǎoshì]  /to express/to show/to express/

意思  [yìsī]  /idea/opinion/meaning/

一致  [yīzhì]  /unanimous/identical (views or opinions)/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

無論  [wúlùn]  /no matter what|how/regardless of whether.../

其  [qí]  /he/she/its

為  [wèi]  /to make/

明示  [míngshì]  /explicit expression/

或  [huò]  /maybe/perhaps/might/possibly/or/

默示  [mòshì]  /implied expression/

契約  [qìyuē]  /agreement/contract/

即  [jí]  /right away/

成立  [chénglì]  /establish/set up/

對於  [duìyú]  /regarding/as far as (something) is concerned/with regards to/

必要  [bìyào]  /necessary/essential/indispensable/required/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

點  [diǎn]  /elements/

而  [ér]  /but/

非  [fēi]  /non-/not-/un-/

未經  [wèijīng]  /not (yet)/

推定  [tuīdìng]  /presumed/

關於  [guānyú]  /pertaining to/concerning/regarding/with regards to/about/

該  [gāi]  /that/the above-mentioned/

不一致  [bùyīzhì]  /different/

時  [shí]  /when/

法院  [fǎyuàn]  /court of law/court/

應  [yìng]  /shall/

依  [yī]  /according to/

事件  [shìjiàn]  /event/happening/incident/

性質  [xìngzhì]  /nature/characteristic/

Study

明示   explicit

默示 implicit/tacit declaration/

Contracts - Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance 3

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance 3

Civil Code:

Article

第 162 條

撤回要約之通知，其到達在要約到達之後，而按其傳達方法，通常在相當時期內應先時或同時到達，其情形為相對人可得而知者，相對人應向要約人即發遲到之通知。

相對人怠於為前項通知者，其要約撤回之通知，視為未遲到。

Article 162   

If a notice of withdrawing an offer arrives after the arrival of the offer itself, though it should usually arrive before or simultaneously with the arrival of the offer within a reasonable time by its transmitting manner, and this might be known to the other party, the other party so notified should notify the offerer immediately of such delay.

If such other party delays the notice specified in the preceding paragraph, the notice of withdrawing the offer shall be deemed to have arrived without delay.

Vocabulary

撤回  [chèhuí]  /withdraw/

要約  [yàoyuē]  /offer/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

通知  [tōngzhī]  /notify/inform/notice/notification/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

到達  [dàodá]  /to reach/to arrive/

在  [zài]  /at/in/

之後  [zhīhòu]  /after(wards)/following/later/after/

而  [ér]  /語氣詞,無義/

按  [àn]  /according to/

傳達  [chuándá]  /convey/

方法  [fāngfǎ]  /method/way/means/

通常  [tōngcháng]  /regular/usual/ordinary/normal/

相當  [xiāngdāng]  /appropriate/considerably/to a certain extent/fairly/

時期  [shíqī]  /a period in time/period/time (interval)/phase/

內  [nèi]  /within/

應  [yìng]  /shall/

先時  [xiānshí]  /early/in advance/first/

或  [huò]  /or/

同時  [tóngshí]  /at the same time/simultaneously/

情形  [qíngxing]  /circumstances/situation/

為  [wéi]  /被/

相對人  [xiāngduìrén]  /the concerned person/

可得  [kědé]  /can/may/able to/certain(ly)/might/

知  [zhī]  /to know/to be aware/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

向  [xiàng]  /towards/to/

即  [jí]  /right away/immediately/

發  [fā]  /to send out/to issue/

遲到  [chídào]  /to arrive late/

怠於  [dàiyú]  /idle/lazy/negligent/careless/

前  [qián]  /before/in front/former/previous/earlier/front/

項  [xiàng]  /paragraph/

視為  [shìwéi]  /(v) deem/see as/regard as/

未  [wèi]  /not yet/did not/have not/not/

Contracts - Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance 2

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance 2

Civil Code:

Article

第 161 條

依習慣或依其事件之性質，承諾無須通知者，在相當時期內，有可認為承諾之事實時，其契約為成立。

前項規定，於要約人要約當時預先聲明承諾無須通知者，準用之。

Article 161   

In cases where according to customs or owing to the nature of the affair, a notice of acceptance is not necessary, the contract shall be constituted when, within a reasonable time, there is a fact, which may be considered as an acceptance of the offer.

The provision of the preceding paragraph shall be mutatis mutandis applied when at the time of offer the offerer has waived notice of acceptance.

Vocabulary

依  [yī]  /according to/depend on/

習慣  [xíguàn]  /habit/custom/usual practice/to be used to/

或  [huò]  /or/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

事件  [shìjiàn]  /event/happening/incident/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

性質  [xìngzhì]  /nature/characteristic/

承諾  [chéngnuò]  /promise (to do something)/

無  [wú]  /-less/not to have/no/none/not/to lack/un-/

須  [xū]  /beard/necessary/must/

通知  [tōngzhī]  /notify/inform/notice/notification/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

在  [zài]  /in/at/

相當  [xiāngdāng]  /equivalent to/appropriate/

時期  [shíqī]  /a period in time/period/time (interval)/phase/

內  [nèi]  /inside/internal/within/

有  [yǒu]  /to have/there is/there are/to exist/to be/

可  [kě]  /can/may/able to/

認為  [rènwéi]  /to believe/to think/to consider/to feel/

事實  [shìshí]  /fact/

時  [shí]  /o`clock/time/when/hour/season/period/

契約  [qìyuē]  /agreement/contract/

為  [wéi]  /is/become/

成立  [chénglì]  /establish/set up/

前  [qián]  /before/in front/ago/former/previous/earlier/front/

項  [xiàng]  /paragraph/

規定  [guīdìng]  /provision/

於  [yú]  /in/at/

要約  [yàoyuē]  /offer/

要約人  [yàoyuērén]  /contract offeror/

當時  [dāngshí]  /then/at that time/while/

預先  [yùxiān]  /beforehand/prior/

聲明  [shēngmíng]  /statement/declaration/

準用  [zhǔnyòng]  /shall apply, where appropriate, to …/apply mutatis mutandis/

Wrap-up week 4 of July

Here is the wrap-up for week 4 of July.

All about Contracts in the Civil Code.

Contracts - Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance
Contracts ... Offer and Revocation of an Offer 2
Contracts ... Offer and Revocation of an Offer 1
Contracts - Expression and Pre-drafted Contractual agreement
Contracts - Expression of Intent
Contracts - Agency

Contracts - Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance 1

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Acceptance and Revocation of an Acceptance 1

Civil Code:

Article

第 160 條

遲到之承諾，除前條情形外，視為新要約。

將要約擴張、限制或為其他變更而承諾者，視為拒絕原要約而為新要約。

Article 160

An acceptance which arrives late, except under the circumstances in the preceding article, shall be deemed to be a new offer.

An acceptance with amplifications, limitations or other alterations shall be deemed to be a refusal of the original offer and the making of a new offer.

Vocabulary

遲到  [chídào]  /to arrive late/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

承諾  [chéngnuò]  /promise (to do something)/

除…外  [chú…wài]  /except/

前  [qián]  /before/in front/ago/former/previous/earlier/front/

條  [tiáo]  /article/

情形  [qíngxing]  /circumstances/situation/

視為  [shìwéi]  /(v) deem/see as/regard as/

新  [xīn]  /new/newly/

要約  [yàoyuē]  /offer/

將  [jiāng]  /把/

擴張  [kuòzhāng]  /(v) expand /

限制  [xiànzhì]  /(impose) restrictions/to limit/to bound/to restrict/

或  [huò]  /or/

為  [wéi]  /to make/

其他  [qítā]  /other/else/

變更  [biàngēng]  /change/alter/modify/

而  [ér]  /and/

者  [zhě]  /if/

拒絕  [jùjué]  /to refuse/to decline/to reject/

原要約  [yuányàoyuē]  /original offer/

Contracts ... Offer and Revocation of an Offer 2

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Offer and Revocation of an Offer 2

Civil Code:

Article

第 155 條

要約經拒絕者，失其拘束力。

Article 155

An offer ceases to be binding if it is refused.

Vocabulary

要約  [yàoyuē]  /offer/

經  [jīng]  /to undergo/

拒絕  [jùjué]  /to refuse/to decline/to reject/

者  [zhě]  /if/

失  [shī]  /to lose/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

拘束力  [jūshùlì]  /bindingness/binding force

Article

第 156 條

對話為要約者，非立時承諾，即失其拘束力。

Article 156   

An offer made inter presentes ceases to be binding if it is not accepted at once.

Vocabulary

對話  [duìhuà]  /dialog/inter presentes/

為  [wéi]  /是/

要約  [yàoyuē]  /offer/

者  [zhě]  /if/

非  [fēi]  /non-/not-/un-/

立時  [lìshí]  /immediately/at once/

承諾  [chéngnuò]  /promise (to do something)/

即  [jí]  /then/

失  [shī]  /to lose/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

拘束力  [jūshùlì]  /bindingness/binding force/

Contracts ... Offer and Revocation of an Offer 1

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Offer and Revocation of an Offer 1

Civil Code:

Article

第 154 條

契約之要約人，因要約而受拘束。但要約當時預先聲明不受拘束，或依其情形或事件之性質，可認當事人無受其拘束之意思者，不在此限。

貨物標定賣價陳列者，視為要約。但價目表之寄送，不視為要約。

Article 154   

A person who offers to make a contract shall be bound by his offer except at the time of offer he has excluded this obligation or except it may be presumed from the circumstances or from the nature of the affair that he did not intend to be bound.

Exposing goods for sale with their selling price shall be deemed to be an offer. However, the sending of pricelists is not deemed to be an offer.

Vocabulary

契約  [qìyuē]  /agreement/contract/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

要約人  [yàoyuērén]  /contract offeror/promiser/

因  [yīn]  /cause/reason/because/

要約  [yàoyuē]  /offer/

而  [ér]  /語氣詞,無義/

受  [shòu]  /to bear/to stand/to endure/

拘束  [jūshù]  /(v) restrict; limit/to be bound/

但  [dàn]  /but/yet/however/only/merely/still/

當時  [dāngshí]  /then/at that time/while/

預先  [yùxiān]  /beforehand/prior/

聲明  [shēngmíng]  /statement/declaration/

不受  [bùshòu]  /to be exempt/

或  [huò]  /or/

依  [yī]  /according to/depend on/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

情形  [qíngxing]  /circumstances/situation/

事件  [shìjiàn]  /event/happening/incident/

性質  [xìngzhì]  /nature/characteristic/

可  [kě]  /can/may/able to/certain(ly)/

認  [rèn]  /to recognize/to know/to admit/

當事人  [dāngshìrén]  /persons involved or implicated/party (to an affair)/

無  [wú]  /-less/not to have/no/none/not/to lack/un-/

意思  [yìsī]  /idea/opinion/meaning/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

不在此限  [bùzàicǐxiàn]  /shall not be subject to this restriction/

貨物  [huòwù]  /goods/commodity/merchandise/

標定  [biāodìng]  /demarcate/demonstrate/indicate/

賣  [mài]  /to sell/

價  [jie]  /price/

陳列  [chénliè]  /display/exhibit/

視為  [shìwéi]  /(v) deem/see as/regard as/

價目表  [jiàmùbiǎo]  /(marked) price list/

寄送  [jìsòng]  /to send/to transmit/

Contracts - Expression and Pre-drafted Contractual Terms

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

More Civil Code:

Interpretation of Expression and Pre-drafted Contractual Terms

Article

第 98 條

解釋意思表示，應探求當事人之真意，不得拘泥於所用之辭句。

Article 98   

In the interpretation of an expression of intent, the real intention of the parties must be sought rather than the literal meaning of the words.

Vocabulary

解釋  [jiěshì]  /explanation/to explain/to interpret/to resolve/

意思表示  [yìsībiǎoshì]  /expressed intention/declaration of will/

應  [yìng]  /shall/

探求  [tànqiú]  /to explore/to search out/to investigate/to persue/

當事人  [dāngshìrén]  /persons involved or implicated/party (to an affair)/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

真意  [zhēnyì]  /real intention/true intention/

不得  [bùdé]  /must not/may not/not be allowed/cannot/

拘泥  [jūní]  /rigidly adhere/

於  [yú]  /at/

所  [suǒ]  /(relative pronoun)/(particle introducing a relative clause)/

用  [yòng]  /to use/

辭句  [cíjù]  /expression/wording/

Study

A contract may be express or implied. In an express contract, the existence and terms of the contract are stated in words or the writings of the parties. In an implied contract, the real intent is inferred from the conduct of the parties, and this is what is sought in contracts in Taiwan.

解釋is used to define a term.  Other similar methods of defining a term in a contract or article are:

所謂 – so-called

所稱 － referred to

稱 - 叫、叫做。如：「稱呼」、「稱兄道弟」。

稱…..者 - 稱月或年者….The month or the year specified in this code….

Contracts - Expression of Intent

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Expression of Intent explained in the Civil Code:

Article

第 94 條

對話人為意思表示者，其意思表示，以相對人了解時，發生效力。

Article 94   

An expression of intent inter presents becomes effective at the moment when the person to whom it is made understands it well.

Vocabulary

對話人  [duìhuàrén]  /speaker/expressor/

為  [wèi]  /to make/to do/

意思表示  [yìsībiǎoshì]  /expressed intention/declaration of will/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

以  [yǐ]  /according to/so as to/in order to/by/

相對人  [xiāngduìrén]  /the concerned person/

了解  [liǎojiě]  /understand/come to understand/

時  [shí]  /when/

發生  [fāshēng]  /to happen/to occur/to take place/

效力  [xiàolì]  /(n) positive effect; efficacy/binding effect/

Study

意思表示 is defined as a declaration of will or more simply an offer.  This Article explains that when the offeror’s(表意人) offer is understood by the concerned party(相對人) the offer becomes binding.  Also, the use of 對話人assumes that the offer is made ‘inter presents’ and not ‘inter absents’ as expressed below.

Article

第 95 條

非對話而為意思表示者，其意思表示，以通知達到相對人時，發生效力。

但撤回之通知，同時或先時到達者，不在此限 。

表意人於發出通知後死亡或喪失行為能力或其行為能力受限制者，其意思表示，不因之失其效力。

Article 95   

An expression of intent inter absents becomes effective at the moment when the notification of the expression reaches such other party, except when the withdrawal of the notification previously or simultaneously reaches such other party.

The fact that after the notification of the expression the expresser dies, or becomes no capacity to make juridical acts, or is limited in capacity to make juridical acts, shall not null the expression of intent.

Vocabulary

非  [fēi]  /non-/not-/un-/

對話  [duìhuà]  /dialog in real time/

而  [ér]  /語氣詞,無義/

為  [wèi]  /to make/to do/

意思表示  [yìsībiǎoshì]  /expressed intention/declaration of will/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

以  [yǐ]  /according to/so as to/in order to/by/

通知  [tōngzhī]  /notify/inform/notice/notification/

達到  [dádào]  /to reach/to achieve/to attain/

相對人  [xiāngduìrén]  /the concerned person/

時  [shí]  /when/

發生  [fāshēng]  /to happen/to occur/to take place/

效力  [xiàolì]  /(n) positive effect; efficacy/binding effect/

但  [dàn]  /but/yet/however/only/merely/still/

撤回  [chèhuí]  /withdraw/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

同時  [tóngshí]  /at the same time/simultaneously/

或  [huò]  /or/

先  [xiān]  /early/prior/former/in advance/first/

到達  [dàodá]  /to reach/to arrive/

不在此限  [bùzàicǐxiàn]  /shall not be subject to this restriction/

表意人  [biǎoyìrén]  /expressor/ 

於  [yú]  /in/at/

發出  [fāchū]  /to send out/to issue/

後  [hòu]  /back/behind/rear/afterwards/after/later/

死亡  [sǐwáng]  /death/deadly/

喪失  [sàngshī]  /lose/forfeit/

行為能力  [xíngwéinénglì]  /capacity/capacity of disposition/disposing capacity/

受  [shòu]  /to bear/to stand/to endure/

限制  [xiànzhì]  /(impose) restrictions/to limit/to bound/to restrict/

不因之失［效］  [bù zhī yīn shī xiào]  /shall not nullify/

Contracts - Agency

Original post by www.taiwanlawresources.com

Articles in the Civil Code regarding agency:

Article

第 103 條

代理人於代理權限內，以本人名義所為之意思表示，直接對本人發生效力。

前項規定，於應向本人為意思表示，而向其代理人為之者，準用之。

Article 103   

An expression of intent which an agent makes in the name of the principal within the scope of his delegated power takes effect directly to the principal.

If an expression of intent which is required to be made to the principal is made to his agent, the provision of the preceding paragraph shall be mutatis mutandis applied.

Vocabulary

代理人  [dàilǐrén]  /agent/

於  [yú]  /in/at/

代理  [dàilǐ]  /acting (temporarily filling a position)/

權限  [quánxiàn]  /(n) limits to rights/

內  [nèi]  /inside/inner/internal/within/interior/

以  [yǐ]  /to use/according to/so as to/in order to/by/with/because/

本人  [běnrén]  /principal/

名義  [míngyì]  /(do something) in (someone`s) name/

所  [suǒ]  /語氣詞,無義/

為  [wèi]  /to make/

之  [zhī]  /(literary equivalent of 的)/

意思表示  [yìsībiǎoshì]  /expressed intention/declaration of will/

直接  [zhíjiē]  /direct (opposite of indirect)/immediate/directly/straightforward/

對  [duì]  /to be opposite/to oppose/to face/for/to/

發生  [fāshēng]  /to happen/to occur/to take place/

效力  [xiàolì]  /(n) positive effect; efficacy/binding effect/

前  [qián]  /before/in front/ago/former/previous/earlier/front/

項  [xiàng]  /sub-paragraph/

規定  [guīdìng]  /provision/to fix/to set/to formulate/to stipulate/to provide/

應  [yìng]  /shall/

向  [xiàng]  /towards/to/

而  [ér]  /and/as well as/but (not)/yet (not)/however/

其  [qí]  /his/her/its/theirs/that/such/it (refers to sth preceding it)/

者  [zhě]  /-ist, -er (person)/person (who does sth)/

之  [zhī]  /it/

準用  [zhǔnyòng]  /shall apply, where appropriate, to …/apply mutatis mutandis/

Grammar Points:

內

The character 內 in this sense means ‘within’ as in ‘within the scope of rights’(權限內)We can see more examples in the following articles within the Civil Code:

第 1092 條

（委託監護人）

父母對其未成年之子女，得因特定事項，於一定期限內，委託他人行使監護之職務。

Article 1092   

In regard to a minor child, parents may authorize another person to perform the function of a guardian for specific matters and within a fixed period.

第 1158 條

（償還債務之限制）

繼承人在前條所定之一定期限內，不得對於被繼承人之任何債權人償還債務。

Article 1158   

An heir shall not, within the specified period of time provided by the preceding Article, make repayment to any of the deceased's creditors.