Published
2015-12-11

Contract Interpretation Law in Australia: It Is a Maze, Not a Straight Way

Ley de interpretación de contratos en Australia: laberinto, no camino directo

DOI: https://doi.org/10.15332/s1900-0448.2014.0041.05
David Echeverry Botero
PDF (Spanish)

Abstract (en)

Dentro del sistema del derecho común (common law) de Australia, existen discrepancias
entre las decisiones judiciales relacionadas con la interpretación de contratos.
En el presente artículo de investigación, pretendo dilucidar las cuestiones normativas
que causan dichas divergencias. Además, analizo las consecuencias de adoptar una
disposición más concreta en el caso australiano, como lo han hecho otras normatividades
dentro del derecho civil. Luego, argumento a favor de la elaboración y
aprobación de una ley que esté de acuerdo con los principios internacionales actuales.

Keywords (en): Palabras clave, Admisibilidad de las tratativas, análisis objetivo, interpretación de contratos, ratio decidendi, regla de derecho

Abstract (es)

In Australian common law system, there are discrepancies between the judicial decisions regarding the interpretation of contracts. In this research paper, I intend to clarify legal issues that cause these differences. In addition, I discuss the implications of adopting more specific rules in Australia. To do so, I compare the Australian case to other countries with civil law systems that have established similar norms. Then, I advocate for developing and adopting a law that is in accordance with current
international principles.
Keywords (es): admissibility of background evidence, interpretation of contracts, objective analysis, ratio decidendi, rule of law

References

Commission on European Contract Law. (2000). Chapter 5: Interpretation. In O. Lando, O., & H. Beale (Eds.), Principles of European Contract Law (Parts I and II) Retrieved from http://www.jus.uio.no/lm/eu.contract.principles.parts.1.to.3.2002/.

Elliott v Hansen, New Zealand Law Reports (NZLR) 826 (1936). Franklins v Metcash Trading, 407 (New South Wales Court of Appeal [NSWCA], 2009). Investors Compensation Scheme v West Bromwich Building Society, 1 Weekly Law Reports (WLR) 896 (United Kingdom House of Lords [UKHL], 1998).

LexisNexis. (n.d.). Encyclopaedic Australian Legal Dictionary. Retrieved from http:// www.lexisnexis.com.ezp.lib.unimelb.edu.au/au/legal/search/runRemoteLink. do?bct=A&risb=21_T14118914504&homeCsi=267785&A=0.975109670628484& urlEnc=ISO-8859-1&&dpsi=0034&remotekey1=REFPTID&refpt=CONSENS US-AD-IDEM&service=DOC-ID&origdpsi=0034

Mannai Investment Co v Eagle Star Life Assurance Co, Appeals Cases [AC] 749 (1997). McLauchlan, D. (2009). Contract interpretation: What is about? Sydney Law Review (31), 5—51.

Nicholls, (2005). My kingdom for a horse: The meaning of words. Law Quarterly Review 121, 577—580. Partenreederei MS Karen Oltmann v Scarsdale Shipping Co Ltd, 2 Lloyd’s Report 708 (United Kingdom House of Lords [UKHL] 1976). Rainy Sky SA and others v Kookmin Bank, 582 British and Irish Legal Information Institute (England and Wales Court of Appeal [EWCA], Civil Division, 2010). Retrieved from http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2010/582.html Royal Botanic Gardens v South Sydney CC, 186 Australian Law Reports (ALR) 289 301 (High Court of Australia [HCA] 2002). Tamplin v James, 15 Centre d’Histoire du Droit (ChD) 215 (Court of Appeal [CA] 1880).

UNIDROIT. (2010). Chapter 4: Interpretation. In UNIDROIT principles of international commercial contracts

United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. (1980). United Nations Conventions on Contracts for International Sale of Goods. Vienna: Author. Western Export Services Inc and others v Jireh International Pty Ltd, 45 Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) (High Court of Australia [HCA] 2011) Retrieved from http://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinodisp/au/cases/cth/HCA/2011/45.html?st em=0&synonyms=0&query=jireh; appeal allowed 137 Australasian Legal Information Institute (AustLII) (New South Wales Court of Appeal [NSWCA] 2011) Retrieved from http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/cases/nsw/NSWCA/2011/137.html

Dimensions

PlumX

Visitas

1011

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

How to Cite

Echeverry Botero, D. (2015). Ley de interpretación de contratos en Australia: laberinto, no camino directo. IUSTA, 2(41). https://doi.org/10.15332/s1900-0448.2014.0041.05

License

IUSTA Journal is under license Creative Commons Atribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

 

 

Most read articles by the same author(s)