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Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts

Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013.

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Other Authors: Nagel, C.J. (Christoffel Johannes), 1954-
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: University of Pretoria 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author2 Nagel, C.J. (Christoffel Johannes), 1954-
author_browse Nagel, C.J. (Christoffel Johannes), 1954-
author_facet Nagel, C.J. (Christoffel Johannes), 1954-
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv © 2014 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria.
description Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013.
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institution University of Pretoria (South Africa)
language English
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license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher University of Pretoria
publisherStr University of Pretoria
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source_str UPSpace — University of Pretoria Institutional Repository
spelling oai:repository.up.ac.za:2263/41521 Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts Nagel, C.J. (Christoffel Johannes), 1954- bronwynnebotha@hotmail.com Botha, Bronwynne Liability Economic loss Contracts UCTD Dissertation (LLM)--University of Pretoria, 2013. Lötz and Du Plessis sum up the problem at hand most succinctly in their stating that “the relevant question is whether electronic contracts of sale can fulfil the general, legal requirements for the conclusion of a valid contract, and also where and when such contracts are (deemed to be) concluded”.2 In light of this statement, consider the following schematic representation of all the parties and their relationships, as typically occurring during the electronic contracting process: This statement succinctly sums up a single aspect of this problem, the so-called “contracting phase”. Following the traditional thought pattern, all aspects leading up to the point of conclusion need to be assessed and critically discussed as a failing or miscommunication in any one of the traditional requirements for the conclusion of a valid contract may later in the contractual relationship affect consensus and thus conclusion. This second phase “remedies and liability” refers to the situation where consensus is defective for one or other reason stemming from a failure in the internet/network services offered by the Internet Service Provider. A practical example of this may be: A and D have concluded pre-contractual negotiations and stand on the brink of consensus. A has signed the agreement and has forwarded same to D by means of e-mail. As far as A is concerned, the contract is concluded and he/she makes arrangements to fulfil of his/her obligations. D does not receive the signed agreement from A due to a failure on the part of his/her Internet Service Provider (C) – the server crashed and as a result he/she has no knowledge of A’s acceptance. D therefore concludes a contract with a third party for the same goods that form the subject of the contract with A and performs in terms of same. In these circumstances A has suffered economic loss due to his/her preparation to perform alternatively, full performance in terms of a contract he/she believed to be concluded. It goes without saying that neither A nor D are responsible for the loss A has suffered. The obvious question is then who is responsible for A’s loss? This work aims to assess firstly, the nature and the scope of possible remedies available to A to redress his/her loss, and secondly, the extent to which the Internet Service Provider can be held responsible for the failure of the communication medium. These issues will be discussed against the backdrop of the general principles of the law of contract and their application to this new and integral component in economic transactions. am2014 Mercantile Law unrestricted 2014-08-21T13:13:04Z 2014-08-21T13:13:04Z 2014-04-09 2013 Mini Dissertation Botha, B 2014 Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts, LLM dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd <http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41521> F/14/4/484 http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41521 en © 2014 University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. application/pdf University of Pretoria
spellingShingle Liability
Economic loss
Contracts
UCTD
Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts
title Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts
title_full Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts
title_fullStr Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts
title_full_unstemmed Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts
title_short Liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an ISP in the electronic conclusion of contracts
title_sort liability for economic loss sustained through the failure of an isp in the electronic conclusion of contracts
topic Liability
Economic loss
Contracts
UCTD
url http://hdl.handle.net/2263/41521