What is an Assignment?

Summary

In this video, the concept of contract law and assignments is explained through the example of Joe, a football player, who assigns his right to a $1 million contract payment to his mother. While assignments are generally permissible, complications arise in personal service contracts or if the assignment burdens the obligor. An example is given where Joe's mother, a baker, faces unfair demands when a small bakery assigns its pie-making contract to a large food corporation. The video encourages viewers to engage further on the topic through the website blog and forum.

Takeaways

• 😀 An assignment in contract law allows one party to transfer their rights to another party.
• 🏈 Joe, a football player, assigned his $1 million payment right to his mom, highlighting personal connections in contracts.
• 👩‍🍳 Joe's mom became the assignee, receiving the right to payment from the California Crushers.
• 📜 The assignor is the party who transfers rights, while the assignee is the party receiving those rights.
• ⚖️ Generally, rights under a contract can be assigned without issues unless specific conditions apply.
• ❗ Personal service contracts may pose challenges when assigning rights due to potential risks or burdens on the obligor.
• 🍰 A scenario is presented where Joe's mom, as a baker, cannot be forced to fulfill an unreasonable quantity of pies after a contract assignment.
• 🏢 If a contract is assigned to a significantly larger party (like Big Food Inc.), it may not be fair to the original obligor.
• 💼 The potential burdens on the obligor must be considered in contract assignments.
• 💬 Viewers are encouraged to engage with the content through comments on the website and forum for further discussion.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the video?

The video discusses contract law, specifically focusing on assignments in contracts.

Who are the main characters used to explain the concept of assignment?

The main characters are Joe, a professional football player, and his mother.

What does it mean to assign rights in a contract?

Assigning rights in a contract means one party transfers their rights to performance or payment to another party.

In the example given, how much was Joe's contract worth?

Joe's contract with the California Crushers was worth $1 million.

Who becomes the assignor and who becomes the assignee in Joe's case?

Joe is the assignor, and his mom is the assignee after he assigns his right to the payment.

What is the general rule regarding the assignment of rights?

The general rule is that there are usually no problems with assigning rights under a contract.

What situations could lead to complications in assignments?

Complications can arise in personal service contracts or if the assignment burdens or puts the obligor at risk.

What example is given to illustrate a problematic assignment?

The example involves Joe's mom, who is a baker, being forced to fulfill a contract with a larger company after Acme Bakery assigns their contract to Big Food Incorporated.

Why is it unfair for Joe's mom to be assigned a contract with Big Food Incorporated?

It is unfair because the assignment increases the workload from baking a few pies to 10,000 pies per month, which is unreasonable for her.

Where can viewers go for further discussion about assignments or U.S. law?

Viewers can visit the speaker's website blog and forum to discuss assignments or other matters related to U.S. law.