Law of agency
代理法
### **Nature of Agency**
### **代理性质**
- **Agency** is a relationship where an agent acts on behalf of a principal in dealing with third parties, with the authority to affect the principal’s legal position.
- **代理**是代理人代表委托人与第三方打交道的关系,代理人有权影响委托人的法律地位。
- **Agent**: A person employed to act for or represent another (s. 135).
- **代理人**:受雇为他人行事或代表他人的人(第 135 条)。
- **Principal**: The person for whom such act is done (s. 136).
- **校长**:此类行为的对象(第 136 条)。
### **Agent**
### **代理人**
- Any person can be an agent, but those under 18 or of unsound mind cannot be held liable for their acts (s. 137).
- 任何人都可以成为代理人,但未满 18 岁或心智不健全的人不能对其行为承担责任(第 137 条)。
- A principal must be of sound mind and of legal age (18 years) to enter into contracts (s. 136).
- 委托人必须精神健全并达到签订合同的法定年龄(18 岁)(第 136 条)。
### **Ratification**
### **批准**
- **Ratification** occurs when a principal approves an agent’s unauthorized acts (s. 149).
- **批准**是指委托人批准代理人未经授权的行为(第 149 条)。
- **Effect**: The contract becomes binding retrospectively, as if the agent had the authority from the beginning.
- **效果**:合同具有追溯力,就好像代理人从一开始就拥有权力一样。
- **Case Example**:
- **案例示例**:
- **Kelner v. Baxter (1866)**:
- **凯尔纳诉巴克斯特案( 1866 年)* *:
- A principal can only ratify if they existed at the time of the agent’s act. In pre-incorporation contracts, ratification can’t happen unless the company already exists.
- 委托人只能批准它们在代理人行为时存在的情况。在公司成立前的合同中,除非公司已经存在,否则不会获得批准。
**Conditions for Ratification**:
**批准条件**:
1. The agent must have acted as if they had authority.
1. 代理人的行为必须表现得好像他们拥有权力。
2. The principal must have contractual capacity both at the time of the contract and ratification.
2. 委托人在签订合同和批准时必须具有合同行为能力。
3. Ratification must be for the entire contract.
3. 批准必须是整个合同。
4. Illegal or void contracts cannot be ratified.
4. 非法或无效的合同不能被批准。
5. It must not harm third parties (s. 153).
5. 不得损害第三方(第 153 条)。
### **Agency by Necessity**
### **根据需要代理**
- **Definition**: Agency of necessity arises when an agent acts in an emergency to protect the principal’s interests without direct instruction (s. 142).
- **定义**:当代理人在没有直接指示的情况下在紧急情况下采取行动以保护委托人的利益时,就会出现紧急代理(第 142 条)。
**Conditions for Agency of Necessity**:
**必要代理的条件**:
1. It must be impossible to contact the principal for instructions.
1. 一定无法联系校长寻求指示。
2. The agent’s actions must be necessary to prevent loss to the principal.
2. 代理人的行为必须是防止委托人遭受损失所必需的。
3. The agent must act in **good faith**.
3. 代理人必须秉持**善意**行事。
- **Case: Great Northern Railway Co. v. Swaffield (1874)**:
- **案件:大北方铁路公司诉斯瓦菲尔德案( 1874 年)* *:
- The plaintiff acted as an agent of necessity by stabling the defendant’s horse when no one was available to collect it. The court held the plaintiff was entitled to recover costs.
- 原告作为危急情况下的代理人,在没有人可以收走被告的马的情况下将其固定住。法院认为原告有权追偿费用。