Contracts, walk in Riverfront park, Contracts

Part I: Contracts

A contract is a promise. Or a contract is an enforceable promise. Or a contract is a promise for which the law assigns a duty. If there's a duty there's a right. If there's a violation of a right, there is a remedy. Or a contract is a promise plus consideration. Or some combination of the above. I have eight more weeks to hash out the details.

Part II: walk in Riverfront (park?)

Joey and I tried to find the "other" off leash dog park, which is supposed to be part of the Riverfront Park, which is supposed to be by the river. As far as I know, it is by the river, but I'm pretty sure that if that's the case it's the side of the river I didn't explore last week. If that makes any sense at all. Joey and I trespassed, I think, into the driveway/dominion of the persons who operate the dam to park the car, then hiked up into the trees along the river and found a path. No one was around, so I took off his leash. The path merged onto what was obviously a maintained walking trail and I put his leash back on. We had a good time; it was a nice break from the sidewalks and pedestrians that are the backdrop of our daily walks. There were little inlets to the river here and there with bridges built over them - narrow bridges of which Joey was highly suspicious. Watching him cross the first one was hilarious: feet spread in all four directions, head low, moving one step at a time in a low crouch and sprinting the last foot to "safety." He was still cautious by the time we crossed the third one, but it didn't take five minutes.

To our mutual surprise, the path opened up on the parking area around the KU boat house, which is large, and was apparently hosting some kind of rowing event. There were vessels in the river, coaches in little motor boats shouting through megaphones, spectators on the shore. Joey mingled with some admirers, then we walked up the gravel road that apparently gives boaters access to the facility. It was coated in fallen leaves and hedged in big pretty trees wreathed in climbing vines. The leaves on the vines were varying colors, so that some of the trees were sheathed in red, others in gold, some still in pale green. It gave them this beautiful blurry look and made me wish I had my camera.

An hour and a half later, Joey and I arrived home, and I sat back down at my desk to stare down at my Contracts casebook.

Part III: Contracts

Parties form a contract if there is consideration upon a promise. Consideration is benefit to the promisor or detriment to the promissee. But sometimes reliance upon the promise on the part of the promissee suffices. And sometimes a judge just doesn't want to enforce a promise. And sometimes a judge does. And watch what you promise a nonprofit, because they can enforce just about anything. I think.