When is a signature on a contract non-binding?

It is not often we get to deal with antiquity in law -- so this was a great question recently posted on a legal bulletin board.

I signed up for a loyalty program. I then switched to another product not in the program. The loyalty company sent a letter and bill for 30,000 to "complete my commitment with them" Under the line I signed it say "this is a non-binding signature". Do I have to pay them?

This is an interesting case. Without reading the contract, it is hard to say what the terms and conditions of the loyalty program are (were?). You need to call us to discuss the contract -- and then I can provide a legal answer as to the level of liability/exposure you face. That aside, the case is interesting for its historical context. You wrote "non-binding signature" (or was that pre-printed?). In days of yore, a seal indicated that the signature had been verified. This was especially important in the age of wax stamps and individuals who could not read or write. A "sealed" document had its statute of limitations increased from the typical three years to five or even twenty years, and prevented the "sealed" signature from being contested as false or forged. In Virginia, the code for this is 8.01-246, and a "seal" is not required, and the period to bring an action in a contract case is consistent whether there is a seal or not.

In modern contract law, wording such as "non-binding" (or "(seal)") really only opens you up for protracted litigation. Under commercial contract regulations, any intent to enter into a contract can be used to indicate acceptance of terms and conditions in return for some kind of benefit. Signatures may not be required, if consent can be presumed from your acceptance of some benefit (for example, placing an order on the phone, and receiving the goods would obligate you to pay for the items ordered, even if you didn't sign anything). Conversely, indicating you refused to be bound by terms would arguably act as a rejection to the terms of the agreement. So, it's murky.

Do you have a question about contract law? Call us! We handle trials and contract negotiations in DC, VA, and MD.

Hanover Law, PC
Offices in Fairfax, VA and Washington, DC
www.hanoverlawpc.com
2751 Prosperity Ave, Ste 150 Fairfax, VA 22031	Sean R. Hanover, Esq. Stephen Salwierak, Esq. Charlet Herr, Practice Manager
1-800-579-9864 admin@hanoverlawpc.com

How to fight for your investment in a small business

From time-to-time we answer questions related to business law -- and this one deals with lulling, equitable estoppel, breach of contract, and fraud. Right up our alley! The petitioner wrote:

I have an affidavit of trust signed with my employer for money that I gave him 100k cash. The Affidavit of trust states that I can ask for the money back only after 6 years after his business starts which would be in 2011. I have done that several times, but each time he comes up with the excuse that the business is not doing well etc... This time I am determined -- especially now that I heard he moved to Pennsylvania, sold his house in the area, and now he is not paying rent for the restaurant where I work (we received and eviction notice). Is he going to just declare bankruptcy? What are the ways for me to get my money back?

This is a great question! We just finished a multi-year LLC/corporate lawsuit covering just these questions last week -- a major jury victory in Washington, DC. There are actually three questions in what you wrote -- and so I'll cover each briefly.

First, you need address the problem of statute of limitations. You were a bit confusing in your time frames. Did you loan this fella money which was suppose to come due in 2011? If so, you need to move very quickly, as VA has stringent guidelines regarding statute of limitations. However, if you have been trying to collect from 2011, it is entirely likely you can win on a "lulling" -- a form of equitable estoppel that stops (or "tolls") the statute of limitation clock. You'll need to talk to us more about this, but the theory is alive and well, and we won a major law suit in 2014 based on lulling. This will also play-out in bankruptcy court (see below).

Second, you asked about the money. I'm not sure what you think you signed (an "affidavit of trust" sounds very squirrely), but if it was a contract of some kind, you can sue for breach. You may also be able to sue for material misrepresentation (fraud), and fraud in the inducement (also, well...fraud). We would need to see the contract, and determine how, if at all, you are constrained by the terms. This is a good time to kick yourself for not consulting with an attorney before entering a deal involving $100K. Always, always, always spend the couple of hundred it takes to make these deals work properly in the beginning. That's too much money to rely on the signer's "good faith."

Thirdly, as for bankruptcy, it depends on what type of experience he hires for a bankruptcy attorney (i.e. their understanding of the various form of exclusions/objections to discharge of debts). A mere breach of contract won't be excluded from discharge, however, equitable tolling and possibly fraud/misrepresentation certainly can, and should be argued (we've won those, too -- so I can assure you, it works!). Challenging his potential bankruptcy requires a fight in bankruptcy court - and that is different than a fight in state court (which you would also need to do for points 1 and 2 above). This are called "multi-dimensional cases" as they involve state law cases and strategies (state court) that then bleed into bankruptcy court (federal court).

A couple of important reminders here -- remember that you need to file -asap-. This is because (a) your time is running out under the statute of limitations (presumably), but more importantly, (b) your must have a state suit underway PRIOR to his filing bankruptcy or you are largely in trouble. Although you could technically do the entire state AND bankruptcy fight in bankruptcy court, this is not the preferred method, and you should not expect a very sympathetic bankruptcy judge.

If you need help with your state claim (breach of contract, and various forms of fraud), equitable estoppel (lulling), or the bankruptcy motions to object to this fellow's discharge, give us a ring at 703-402-2723 or email admin@hanoverlawpc.com. We'd be glad to help!

Hanover Law, PC
Offices in Fairfax, VA and Washington, DC
www.hanoverlawpc.com		Lili O'connell, Esq. Abby Archer, Esq.
888 16th St., NW Ste 800 Washington, DC 20006	2751 Prosperity Ave, Ste 150 Fairfax, VA 22031	Sean R. Hanover, Esq. Stephen Salwierak, Esq.
1-800-579-9864	admin@hanoverlawpc.com	Charles Hatley, Esq.