In November 2022, Phil O. Dendron, a purchasing officer for the federal government, contacted General Motors to discuss the purchase of 6, 2023 Limited Edition
escalades XL for the President. There were obviously special components to the cars. General Motors was only going to produce a limited number of these cars referred to as "Biden Buggies." and the only purchaser would be the federal government.  These were named as such because one or more of them were to be used as a presidential limo and decoy.  Phil talked to the corporate representative, Al Paca, who partially filled out a buyer's order form which he then presented to his boss, Chipt Beaf, the special project manager.  After discussing the matter they agreed to sell the cars at 445,000 each, in other words at list price.  Chipt wrote "list price" and signed his name on the partially completed form, signing in the middle of the page rather than in the space provided for the signature of an officer of General Motors, Cadillac Division. The price listed on the car is 445,000. The dealer invoice shows a cost of 377,034.55.  Phil O. Dendron also signed the form and gave a deposit of $500,000.  

At the time of the signing of the documents, Caruana Cadillac, the designated deliverer of the vehicles did not have a car in its possession.  Two such cars were later received and in the interim the supply chain for the cars' options had driven their value far above the agreed price. They also supply cars for other dignitaries. The going price of the car is now 492,250. GM refused to deliver either car to Phil O. Dendron and attempted to return the deposit.  Phil O. Dendron filed that this is a breach of contract and that the promises had been exchanged and that this was unfair behavior. GM  argues that the order form was too indefinite and incomplete to amount to a valid and binding contract. It was the understanding that the list price really meant the actual fixed hard price of the deliverable vehicles, therefore,  the company argues that there is confusion about the term list price and thus there is no contract. Phil says that he had a contract and that everyone knows that list means the cost at the time of the contract not at the time of delivery. Each side references documents used in the negotiation of the contract to explain the contract itself. Some of the documents are referenced by the contract and some are not. Some of the documents are from before the final contract and some are after.

Was there a Contract... valid offer/acceptance? Consideration? Parol evidence rule?

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The question youre asking pertains to the field of contract law and three key principles to consider are offeracceptance consideration and the parol e... View the full answer