What is the doctrine of reliance?

Asked by: Berniece Collier Jr.  |  Last update: February 6, 2026
Score: 4.3/5 (58 votes)

The doctrine of reliance is a legal principle, often part of promissory estoppel, that prevents injustice when someone reasonably acts on another's promise (or statement/action) to their own detriment, even without a formal contract. It allows courts to enforce promises or award damages to cover losses (reliance damages) if the reliance was foreseeable and caused harm, ensuring fairness by preventing a promisor from going back on their word when the other party changed their position based on it.

What is the legal doctrine of reliance?

The doctrine of reliance is a legal principle that allows a party to enforce a promise made by another party, even in the absence of a formal contract, if they have reasonably relied on that promise to their detriment.

What is the concept of reliance?

Reliance is legal concept defining the dependence by one person on another person's or entity's statements or actions, particularly where the person acts upon such dependence.

What are some examples of reliance?

How to Use reliance in a Sentence

  • The politician raised here shares a heavy reliance on both. ...
  • New aliens may pop up from time to time, but its reliance on the same threats—Daleks! ...
  • Barnes said the tight end reliance is one of the NFL-like wrinkles of this Utah offense.

What is an example of a reliance damage?

In this example, the reliance damages would amount to the $500 non-refundable workshop fee, which Matt would not have paid had Neal not promised to sell him the camera. This award would aim to put Matt in the position he would have been in had Neal fulfilled his promise.

What is detrimental reliance?

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How do you prove detrimental reliance?

How can one establish detrimental reliance in a legal context? To establish detrimental reliance in a legal context, one must demonstrate that they reasonably relied on the promises or representations made by the other party, and as a result, suffered harm or incurred a loss.

What are the 4 types of damages in law?

Let's embark on a journey through the four main types of damages: compensatory, punitive, nominal, and liquidated damages. Each serves a unique purpose and plays a distinct role in legal proceedings.

What is a synonym for the word Reliance?

dependence. STRONG. assurance belief credence credit faith hope interdependence interdependency stock trust.

Who owns most of Reliance?

The number of shares of RIL are approx. 644.51 crore (6.44 billion). The promoter group, the Ambani family, holds 50.39% of the total shares whereas the remaining 49.61% shares are held by public shareholders, including FII and corporate bodies.

What are the ethics of Reliance?

We at Reliance Group Companies believe that any business conduct can be ethical only when it rests on the nine core values of Honesty, Integrity, Respect, Fairness, Purposefulness, Trust, Responsibility, Citizenship & Caring.

How is Reliance proven in court?

How is justifiable reliance proven in court? To prove justifiable reliance, a plaintiff must show that their reliance was reasonable under the circumstances and that it directly caused their damages.

What does Reliance mean biblically?

Trust implies confidence and faith in someone's character, while to rely means to depend on someone to do something. As Christians, we can trust that God will do what He says, and we can rely on God because He has promised to supply our needs.

What is the meaning of Reliance in one word?

Trust, confidence, or belief in a person or thing; dependence on someone or… recumbency1641–1870. Reliance, dependence, trust; an instance of this. Usually with on, upon.

What is detrimental reliance in divorce?

When a party makes a detrimental reliance claim, they must show that their reliance was reasonable. This evaluation is done on a case-by-case basis, taking all of the surrounding facts into consideration. Detrimental means that one party suffered some form of harm, often financial.

How to calculate reliance damages?

You are to calculate the reasonable expenditures made by [the plaintiff] in reliance on [the defendant's] [promise] [conduct], subtracting the value of any benefits that [the plaintiff] obtained as a result of those expenditures, and also subtracting the amount of any loss that [the defendant] proves [the plaintiff] ...

What does it mean to act in reliance?

reliance. n. acting upon another's statement of alleged fact, claim or promise.

Who is the king of Reliance?

Mukesh Ambani. Mukesh Dhirubhai Ambani (born 19 April 1957) is an Indian billionaire and businessman. He is the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries, the largest public company in India by market capitalisation in 2025.

How does Reliance make its money?

Oil to Chemicals (O2C) – 50.7% of Total Revenue Revenue: ₹1,60,558 Cr This is Reliance's biggest money-making engine. It includes refining, petrochemicals, polymers, fuel, lubricants, and advanced materials that power global industries.

Which oil company is owned by Reliance?

Reliance BP Mobility Limited (d/b/a Jio-bp), is an Indian oil and gas company, a joint venture between Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) and BP. It is based in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

What is a fancy word for self-love?

self-esteem. self-respect. self-regard. egotism. his amazing blend of egotism, superciliousness and stupidity.

What is a professional word for too much?

Some common synonyms of excessive are exorbitant, extravagant, extreme, immoderate, and inordinate.

What's another word for overstepping?

Common synonyms for "overstep" include transgress, violate, encroach, trespass, infringe, exceed, overreach, and exceed, all suggesting going beyond proper limits, authority, or boundaries; while synonyms like surpass, transcend, and outdo imply surpassing or being better than something else, as in ability or quality. 

What are the 3 C's of a contract?

The "3 Cs of a contract" usually refer to Character, Capacity, and Capital, used by surety bond underwriters to assess contractor risk, but can also mean Certainty, Commitment, and Consideration in basic contract formation, or even Contracts, Communication, and Client Documentation for A&E firms. The most common interpretation, especially in construction, focuses on the surety's evaluation of a contractor's integrity (Character), ability to perform (Capacity), and financial strength (Capital). 

What are the most frequently awarded legal damages?

Compensatory damages are the most common form of damages awarded in civil cases. They are awarded to cover the losses the injured party suffered due to the defendant's actions, essentially making the injured party “whole” again. These damages can be economic or non-economic.

What are four torts?

"4 Torts" can refer to four key categories of torts (intentional, negligent, strict liability, privacy), common examples like assault, battery, false imprisonment, and defamation/privacy torts, or the four essential elements of negligence (duty, breach, causation, damages). Torts are civil wrongs leading to legal action, covering harms from deliberate acts (assault) to accidental ones (slip-and-fall) and inherently dangerous activities (strict liability).