Is promissory estoppel a claim or a defense?

Asked by: Nikolas Barrows Jr.  |  Last update: August 28, 2022
Score: 5/5 (57 votes)

Usually, one party is claiming the other party made them a promise and then did not deliver on that promise. Promissory estoppel in Florida is a claim that someone can bring when there are no contract claims available. These types of claims are also known as “detrimental reliance” claims.

Is promissory estoppel a claim?

Within contract law, promissory estoppel refers to the doctrine that a party may recover on the basis of a promise made when the party's reliance on that promise was reasonable, and the party attempting to recover detrimentally relied on the promise.

Is promissory estoppel a cause of action?

In recent cases, however, courts have been approving the use of promissory estoppel as an independent cause of action to provide remedies for alleged contracts that otherwise would be unenforceable.

What is estoppel as a defense?

A bar that prevents one from asserting a claim or right that contradicts what one has said or done before, or what has been legally established as true. Estoppel may be used as a bar to the relitigation of issues or as an affirmative defense.

What are three elements of promissory estoppel?

The three main components needed for promissory estoppel are the promisor, the promisee, and the promise that wasn't honored. The injustice happens when the promisee suffers a loss when he relied on the promise, and the promise wasn't kept.

What is promissory estoppel?

43 related questions found

Which case deals with promissory estoppel?

The term 'promissory estoppel was used for the first time by the Supreme Court in the case of Collector of Bombay v. Bombay Municipal Corporation. In this case the govt.

Can you sue for promissory estoppel?

There cannot be a written contract, for there to be promissory estoppel. Although you can sue for both, ultimately, a Plaintiff in a court case will have to choose between estoppel or breach of contract if there is a written agreement.

Is promissory estoppel a tort?

' They perceive promissory estoppel as a tort-like remedy designed to compensate a promisee for his reasonable and forseeable detrimental reliance on a promise.

What is the difference between estoppel and promissory estoppel?

Estoppel itself is used to keep a party from promising one thing and then changing the circumstances after a second party has relied upon the promise. Promissory estoppel allows the party who was wronged by his or her reliance upon the specific promise or assertion to collect damages.

What are the four elements of promissory estoppel?

The elements of a promissory estoppel claim are “(1) a promise clear and unambiguous in its terms; (2) reliance by the party to whom the promise is made; (3) [the] reliance must be both reasonable and foreseeable; and (4) the party asserting the estoppel must be injured by his reliance.” (US Ecology, Inc.

Is promissory estoppel a sword or shield?

Promissory Estoppel, to say, is a shield, not a sword. It acts as a cause of action under English law. Therefore acts only as a defensive mechanism to defend anyone who might suffer arbitrary enforc ement of strict legal rights.

What is promissory estoppel?

Promissory estoppel is the legal principle that a promise is enforceable by law, even if made without formal consideration when a promisor has made a promise to a promisee who then relies on that promise to his subsequent detriment.

What are the limitations of promissory estoppel?

Limitation on Promissory Estoppel

Must have been (detrimental) reliance on the promise. Cannot be inequitable for promisor to go back on the promise. A "shield not a sword" It suspends rights and does not get rid of them.

When can you claim estoppel?

The doctrine of proprietary estoppel allows individuals to make a claim on the basis that they were promised some property, that they relied on that promise being kept, that they will be disadvantaged if the promise isn't kept and that therefore it would be wrong to go back on that promise.

Is promissory estoppel an equity?

The principle of estoppel rests on equity rather than law; in other words, it would be inequitable not to uphold a promise made to someone who had acted to their detriment because of the promise. It should also be noted that promissory estoppel can only be used as 'shield' rather than a 'sword'.

Is estoppel a rule of evidence?

Estoppel by representation is a rule of evidence based on the principle that a man, who by his acts or statements has induced another to believe a thing to be true, should not afterwards be heard to deny the truth of that thing to the prejudice of the other who acted upon the belief so induced.

Does promissory estoppel undermine consideration?

Denning LJ explained in the obiter that promissory estoppel cannot be used as a cause of action as it is not meant to undermine contractual formation and consideration. In addition, Denning LJ stated that while consideration is necessary in the formation of a contract, modification and discharge of a contract does not.

How do I claim estoppel?

A proprietary estoppel claim arises when the following conditions are met:
  1. A promise is made to the claimant; ...
  2. The promise was believed and relied upon by the claimant; and. ...
  3. Reliance on the promise has caused the claimant to suffer detriment.

Is promissory estoppel an equitable remedy?

Recognizing that promissory estoppel is an equitable theory used to avoid injustice and enforce good faith, federal courts are circumventing the preemption provisions of acts like ERISA, LMRA, and others in divining a remedy sua sponte and fashioning a federal promissory estoppel claim patterned primarily on the ...

Does promissory estoppel suspend or extinguish rights?

Promissory estoppel may permanently extinguish the rights of the promissor to claim lump sum after part-payment.

How is promissory estoppel used as a sword?

It means that a plaintiff cannot rely exclusively on promissory estoppel to sue. Relying on an independent cause of action, the plaintiff can use promissory estoppel to prevent the defendant from denying an element of the claim or from asserting an element of a defence.

What are the requirements needed in order to establish a claim in promissory estoppel?

Requirements of a Promissory Estoppel
  • Promisor made a significant promise to cause the promisee to act on it. ...
  • Promisee relied on the promise. ...
  • Promisee suffered significant damage by relying on the promise. ...
  • Fulfillment of the promise is the only way the promisee can be compensated.

What are the three requirements for a successful claim in estoppel?

Proving Proprietary Estoppel

Specifically, a claimant must prove the following elements: There was a promise; There was a reasonable belief in and reliance on the promise; and. The promisee suffered loss because they relied on the promise.

Is proprietary estoppel a Defence?

Using estoppel as a defence at court

At court, the tenant could defend the proceedings and counterclaim on the grounds of proprietary estoppel. The tenant would argue that the landlord is not entitled to have possession of the property because of the earlier promises that the landlord had made.

Is promissory estoppel suspensory?

It is said that promissory estoppel has merely a suspensory effect on a payment obligation. In the context of periodic payments this makes sense.