ABSTRACT
It has been seen that the idea of ‘agreement’ plays a central role in the classical law of contract. Much of the law is based on the presumption that parties enter into agreements of their own free will,1 and that therefore the courts’ primary concern can be to determine, and then give effect to, what the parties themselves have agreed. There are certain situations, however, where despite the fact that an agreement has apparently been made the courts have felt the need to intervene so as to deny or limit its effect as a contract. One of these situations arises where for some reason one of the contracting parties is felt to need protection. It is in this context that the rules relating to ‘capacity’ can come into operation.2 In order to make a valid, enforceable, contract, both parties must be regarded as having capacity in law to enter into such an agreement. The reason for intervention on the basis of ‘lack of capacity’ may relate to the need to protect the contracting from him or herself,3 or to the need to ensure that a contracting party is not being ‘exploited’ because of his or her mental state.4 Three aspects of this topic are considered in this chapter, namely minors’ contracts, mental disability, and intoxication.
