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United Kingdom Leading Case expectation damages

Robinson v Harman

(1848) 1 Exch 850
JurisdictionUnited Kingdom
CourtCourt of Exchequer
Year1848
StatusBinding authority

Summary

Contractual damages should place the claimant in the position they would have been in had the contract been performed, protecting the expectation interest.

Key Principle

The fundamental principle of contractual damages: the party should be placed in the position they would have been in had the contract been performed (the expectation interest).

Area of Law

contract

Related Cases

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Bank late payment fees are not penalties where they represent a genuine pre-estimate of loss or protect a legitimate interest of the stipulating party.

Simic v New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation (2016) 260 CLR 85

High Court of Australia examined the principles governing rectification of written contracts for common intention and unilateral mistake in equity.

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