Knowledge (XXG)

Heilbut, Symons & Co v Buckleton

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28: 175:. Buckleton called up a manager at Heilbut to inquire about the shares. In response to the questions, the manager confirmed that they were "bringing out a rubber company". Based on this statement, Buckleton purchased a large number of shares. The company turned out to have far fewer rubber trees than expected. The shares performed very poorly. Buckleton sued for breach of 214:
made in answer to an inquiry for information. There is nothing which can by any possibility be taken as evidence of an intention on the part of either or both of the parties that there should be a contractual liability in respect of the accuracy of the statement. It is a representation as to a specific thing and nothing more.
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It is, my Lords, of the greatest importance, in my opinion, that this House should maintain in its full integrity the principle that a person is not liable in damages for an innocent misrepresentation, no matter in what way or under what form the attack is made. In the present case the statement was
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Although Heilbut, Symons & Co would today be counted as having made at least a negligent misrepresentation, the case still has relevance for the general principle that representations become part of the contract if (as a very general principle) this is "intended". In
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identified two ways that the action could be successful. First, if the plaintiff could show fraudulent misrepresentation "or what is equivalent thereto, must be made recklessly, not caring whether it be true or not." Second, if there was intent
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the Court of Appeal further clarified that the balance of information between a buyer and seller is relevant to determine what was actually intended, giving preference for the intentions of non-commercial parties who rely on others.
209:, that would bind Heilbut to their representation. However, Lord Moulton stated that such collateral contracts would be rare, and on the facts none was found. Lord Moulton said, 171:), Heilbut, Symons & Co were merchants who were underwriting shares of what they claimed was a rubber business, called the Filisola Rubber and Produce Estates, Limited in 151:
for negligent misrepresentation were introduced in English law, and, thus, it would today be regarded as wrongly decided under the tort of negligent misrepresentation.
186:. Nevertheless, at trial it was found that there was a warranty in the statement regarding the rubber company. The claimant, Buckleton, did not succeed at trial. 315: 201: 325: 250: 310: 320: 27: 226: 305: 194:
The House of Lords held that no damages could be payable because it was not a fraudulent misrepresentation.
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At trial the Court found that Heilbut made misrepresentation but was not done
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on misrepresentation and contractual terms. It held that a non-fraudulent
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gave no right to damages. This was decided decades before
103: 85: 80: 69: 54: 44: 34: 20: 211: 205:) to be held to a promise then there may be a 8: 26: 17: 270:"Legal definition of animus contrahendi" 261: 49:Heilbut, Symons & Co v Buckleton 7: 123:Heilbut, Symons & Co v Buckleton 21:Heilbut, Symons & Co v Buckleton 316:English misrepresentation case law 14: 251:Misrepresentation in English law 326:United Kingdom company case law 167:trade 1910 (at the end of the 1: 114:, contract terms, intention 58:November 11, 1912 342: 227:Oscar Chess Ltd v Williams 108: 25: 216: 144:Hedley Byrne v Heller 75:[1912] UKHL 2 311:House of Lords cases 272:. legal-glossary.com 246:English contract law 131:English contract law 321:1912 in British law 207:collateral contract 133:case, given by the 202:animus contrahendi 169:Amazon rubber boom 139:misrepresentation 119: 118: 112:misrepresentation 333: 306:1912 in case law 291: 288: 282: 281: 279: 277: 266: 90:Viscount Haldane 81:Court membership 65: 63: 30: 18: 341: 340: 336: 335: 334: 332: 331: 330: 296: 295: 294: 289: 285: 275: 273: 268: 267: 263: 259: 237: 221: 192: 157: 115: 61: 59: 12: 11: 5: 339: 337: 329: 328: 323: 318: 313: 308: 298: 297: 293: 292: 283: 260: 258: 255: 254: 253: 248: 243: 241:UK company law 236: 233: 220: 217: 191: 188: 156: 153: 135:House of Lords 117: 116: 109: 106: 105: 101: 100: 87: 86:Judges sitting 83: 82: 78: 77: 71: 67: 66: 56: 52: 51: 46: 45:Full case name 42: 41: 39:House of Lords 36: 32: 31: 23: 22: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 338: 327: 324: 322: 319: 317: 314: 312: 309: 307: 304: 303: 301: 287: 284: 271: 265: 262: 256: 252: 249: 247: 244: 242: 239: 238: 234: 232: 229: 228: 218: 215: 210: 208: 204: 203: 197: 189: 187: 185: 180: 178: 174: 170: 166: 162: 161:economic boom 154: 152: 150: 146: 145: 140: 136: 132: 128: 125: 124: 113: 107: 102: 99: 95: 94:Lord Atkinson 91: 88: 84: 79: 76: 72: 68: 57: 53: 50: 47: 43: 40: 37: 33: 29: 24: 19: 16: 286: 274:. Retrieved 264: 225: 222: 219:Significance 212: 200: 196:Lord Moulton 193: 184:fraudulently 181: 158: 142: 122: 121: 120: 98:Lord Moulton 48: 15: 300:Categories 290:EWCA Civ 5 159:During an 62:1912-11-11 235:See also 190:Judgment 177:warranty 147:, where 110:Shares, 104:Keywords 70:Citation 276:18 June 163:in the 149:damages 73:AC 30, 60: ( 55:Decided 173:Mexico 165:rubber 129:is an 127:UKHL 2 257:Notes 155:Facts 35:Court 278:2013 302:: 179:. 96:, 92:, 280:. 199:( 64:)

Index


House of Lords
[1912] UKHL 2
Viscount Haldane
Lord Atkinson
Lord Moulton
misrepresentation
UKHL 2
English contract law
House of Lords
misrepresentation
Hedley Byrne v Heller
damages
economic boom
rubber
Amazon rubber boom
Mexico
warranty
fraudulently
Lord Moulton
animus contrahendi
collateral contract
Oscar Chess Ltd v Williams
UK company law
English contract law
Misrepresentation in English law
"Legal definition of animus contrahendi"
Categories
1912 in case law
House of Lords cases

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