This paper begins by giving examples of the confusion between technical and legal terminology in public key infrastructures (PKIs). It argues that the conduct of business needs to happen within a technically and commercially secure environment where the business risks can be addressed by examining the conditions in which performatives are effective, and the infelicities which herald their failu...

In this paper, we present work in progress on the Electronic Contract Framework (ECF), an agent-based framework for the automation of contractual relationships. Electronic contracts are the cornerstone of this framework and contractual agents manipulate these abstractions to specify business relationships and to automate their execution. We first define the concepts and the formalism used to mo...

where the debtor fails to perform the contract, he would have contractual liability. (this amount to contractual liability of the debtor) can debtor have the right to ignore contractual liability and invoke for tortuous? right to choose is definitely raised where non-performance of contract amounts to contractual liability as well as tortuous liability. some confirm this right to choose and giv...

Most individuals strive to satisfy every obligation laid out in standard form contracts such as mortgages, insurance plans, or credit agreements. Sophisticated parties, however, adapt and modify their obligations during contract performance by negotiating for lenient treatment taking advantage of unclear terms. The common law explicitly authorizes variance from standardized terms performance. W...

In this paper, we present work in progress on the Electronic Contract Framework, an agent-based framework for the automation of contractual relationships. Electronic contracts are the cornerstone of this framework and contractual agents manipulate these abstractions to specify business relationships and to automate their execution. We first define the concepts and the formalism used to model el...