Contract Law- Case Study Unit 5

In September 2010 the plaintiffs Narinder Dhillon and Camy Grewal went to awedding show (Trade show, Wedding expo). They saw a booth where couples couldenter a draw for a prize worth $25,000 towards their wedding reception. The prize was a$25,000 voucher to be used at the Grand Empire Banquet Hall. Grand Expire was oneof the sponsors of the wedding expo. But, Grand Empire was still underconstruction...They were promoting their new facility in advance of its opening. GrandEmpire was expected to be a gorgeous, shiny, brand new banquet facility. Narinder andCamy filled out a ballot for the draw and they won.

They planned to get married and have a reception on August 14, 2011. Over the next while the couple went ahead making wedding plans. Meanwhile, Grand Empire Banquet Hall was still under construction. In may 2011, Narinder and Camy sentwedding invitations to 450 guests. The reception was planned to be held at GrandEmpire. But then everything went wrong. In June they found out that Grand Empirewould not be open and ready to hold Narinder and Camy's wedding di nner on August14.

Narinder and Camy did find another place to have the wedding reception. And they decided to sue Grand Empire.

More details:

The Plaintiffs (Narinder and Camy), total cost at the substituted facility came to around $33,700, including the banquet hall expenses ($29,798); new invitations ($400)and table center pieces ($3,500).

The Plaintiffs seek damages in the amount of $25,000 based upon breach ofcontract. In essence, the wedding now cost the couple much more than they had anticipated. The money they were suing for was the $25,000 prize voucher they won in the draw at the wedding expo.

Note: The ballot they filled out for the draw had the following written on it.

Provisions of all prizes is the responsibility of the contest sponsors. Prizes must beaccepted as awarded and cannot be redeemed for cash or exchanged except at thesole discretion of the contest sponsors. Contest sponsors reserve the right to substitutea prize of equal or greater value if the described prize cannot be awarded for anyreason.

Answer the following questions:

1.Was there a legal and valid contract (s) between the two parties? Why?

2.Using some key points of "Contract law" which include "Frustration and Consideration," which one of these two apply to this case, or could it be both?Why?

3.Does Grand Empire have the right not to honour the agreement as thePlaintiffs won the prize in a draw. Why or Why nots?

4.If you were the judge how would you rule in this case? Explain why?