Unilateral Contract
Defined in 3 dictionaries — Cyclopedic (1922), Ballentine's (1916), Bouvier (1914)
The Cyclopedic Law Dictionary
Walter A. Shumaker and George Foster Longsdorf; ed. James C. Cahill · 1922
A contract lacking in mutuality of obligation. In the Civil Law. When the party to whom an engagement is made makes no express agreement on his part, the contract is called "unilateral," even in cases where the law attaches certain obligations to his acceptance. / Civ. Code La. art. 1758; Code Nap. 1103. A loan of money and a loan for use are of this kind. Poth. Obi. pt. 1, c. 1, § 1, art. 2; Lee. Elm. § 781.
Ballentine's Law Dictionary
James A. Ballentine · 1916
Bouvier's Law Dictionary and Concise Encyclopedia
John Bouvier; revised by Francis Rawle · 1914
In Civil Law. When the party to whom an engagement is made makes no express agreement on his part, the contract is called unilateral, even in cases where the law attaches certain obligations to his acceptance. La. Civ. Code, art. 1758. A loan of money and a loan for use are of this kind. Pothier, Obi. part 1, c. 1, s. 1, art. 2; Lee. El&men. § 781. In the Common Law. According to Professor Langdell, every binding promise not in consideration of another promise is a unilateral contract For example, simple contract debts, bonds, promissory notes, and policies of insurance. A bilateral contract, which consists of two promises to give in exchange for and consideration of each other, becomes a unilateral contract when one of the promises is fully performed; Langdell, Sum. Cont. § 183.