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Published

contract

vr.tr.contract · thing-q93288

Let an agent handle contracts by parties, terms, formation, validity and remedies, give general information only, and not sign or accept terms on anyone behalf without explicit confirmation.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems INF.MED

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Formation How it was made.

Parties

Who is bound.

Parties

The parties.

  1. Who are the parties, and do they have capacity? provenance
  2. Who signed on their behalf? provenance

Agreement

Offer and acceptance.

Agreement

How agreement was reached.

  1. How and when was the contract concluded? provenance
  2. Were form requirements met? boundary
Terms What was agreed.

Obligations

Duties.

Obligations

Main obligations.

  1. What must each party do? definition
  2. By when? measurement

Fairness

Unfair terms.

Fairness

Term fairness.

  1. Are any terms potentially unfair? boundary
  2. Does consumer law protect the user? boundary
Performance Carrying it out.

Status

Performed or breached.

Status

Performance status.

  1. Has each party performed? provenance
  2. Is there a breach? boundary

Remedies

Damages, termination.

Remedies

Available remedies.

  1. What remedies are available? boundary
  2. Should a lawyer be consulted? action
Consent Agent limits.

Authority

Acting for others.

Authority

Authority to agree.

  1. Has the user explicitly confirmed acceptance? boundary
  2. What exactly is being agreed? definition

Cancellation

Cooling-off.

Cancellation

Cancellation rights.

  1. Is there a cooling-off period? boundary
  2. How is it exercised? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Information and virtual systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
INF
Domain
INF.MED
Other names and narrower kinds
rental of land and other real estate, prenuptial agreement, ketubah, Nikah Misyar, Zdawiny, vegetable box scheme, SCOP, interstate agreement, software as a service, carbon footprint calculator, National E-learning Platform, business-to-business software as a service

What it is Filled

A legally enforceable agreement between parties creating obligations, such as sales, leases, employment contracts and marriage contracts like a ketubah or prenuptial agreement.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle contracts by parties, terms, formation, validity and remedies, give general information only, and not sign or accept terms on anyone behalf without explicit confirmation.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Offer, acceptance, consideration or cause, and intention
  • Enforceable in law
  • Form requirements for some contracts
  • Consumer contracts have extra protections

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Sign or accept a contract on someone's behalf without authority.
  • Present general information as legal advice for a specific contract.
  • Hide unfair terms when summarising.
  • Alter a signed contract.

Only with a human decision

  • Entering into, amending or terminating a contract.
  • Interpreting terms in a dispute.

May

  • Summarise a contract's terms for a party who asks.
  • Track contract deadlines and obligations for its user.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Contracts bind people, and unequal bargaining power can trap the weaker party.
  • Marriage contracts touch family and religious life.

Who is affected

  • The parties
  • Dependants of the parties
  • Guarantors

Owners Filled

Steward

The parties to it; courts enforce it.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q1425577 - registry parent class
  • Q15621286 - registry parent class
  • Q321839 - registry parent class
  • Q327197 - registry parent class

related

  • agreement - legal
  • law - contract law
  • debt or obligation - duties
  • document - evidence

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.contract
  • Wikidata: Q93288 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q93288)

Direct properties not applicable Not applicable

Not applicable

Plane INF: no invented physical properties.

Recognition optional Filled

  • Parties, terms and signatures
  • Titles such as agreement, lease, contract
  • Click-to-accept terms online
  • Written documents, electronic agreements, click-through terms or oral agreements.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • negotiate and conclude it
  • read and interpret its terms
  • perform, amend or terminate it
  • enforce it through remedies

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Unfair or hidden terms
  • Agent accepting terms without user consent
  • Contracts signed under pressure

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • National contract law
  • EU Unfair Contract Terms Directive
  • UN Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods
  • eIDAS for electronic signatures

Context of use required Filled

  • Making promises binding and allocating rights, duties and risks.
  • sales contracts
  • leases and rental agreements
  • employment contracts
  • service contracts
  • marriage and prenuptial agreements

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q93288: contract - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Contract - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should contract types be separate entries?
  • How should agents confirm before accepting terms?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases such as vegetable box scheme; should they be split off?

Machine files

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q93288/spec.json