Chitty on Contracts (In 2 Volumes)

Trusted by generations of practitioners and judges across the common law world, Chitty provides unmatched clarity, depth, and authority on every stage of the contractual journey.

Across two volumes - General Principles and Specific Contracts - it delivers comprehensive analysis of legislation and case law, practical guidance on complex issues from formation to remedies, and expert insight into sector-specific agreements.

Key Features:

• Presents complete coverage of the law of contract, incorporating extensive reference to relevant legislation and recent case law
• Contains interpretation and analysis of general legislation since the last edition,
• Provides an in-depth examination of actions arising in contract law, including exclusion clauses, estoppel, illegality and public policy, mistake, misrepresentation and non-disclosure, breach of performance
• Covers the formation of contract as it affects the Agreement; Consideration, Form, Mistake; Misrepresentation and Duress and Undue Influence;
• Treats in detail the Capacity of parties
• Analyses and comments on the terms of the contract relating to Express and Implied Terms; Exemption Clauses; Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts; and Arbitration Clauses;
• Examines Illegality and Public Policy
• Under Joint obligations covers in detail the law of contract relating to Third Parties, Assignment, Death and Bankruptcy
• Examines and analyses contract law in relation to performance and discharge, covering Discharge by Agreement; by Frustration; by Breach;
• Studies remedies for breach of contract, including damages and limitations of actions
• Discusses Restitution in relation to contract law
• Analyses conflict of laws as if affects contract law
• Deals individually with contracts in the following areas of law: agency, arbitration, bailment, bills of exchange and banking, building contracts, carriage by air, carriage by land, construction, credit and security, employment, gaming and wagering, insurance, restrictive agreements and covenants, sale of goods and suretyship
• Offers interpretation and advice on the law when disputes arise, or when technical areas need clarification, and when responsibilities, obligations and entitlements need to be established

The 36th anniversary edition of Chitty incorporates new case law and legislative developments that were available up to 31 July 2025. The preface to the new edition provides a detailed outline of the new cases considered within each chapter. On the legislative front, there were many new developments. The following are worth mentioning:

• Aviation (Consumers) (Amendment) Regulations 2023
• Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023
• Procurement Act 2023, brought into force from February 2025
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (still not fully in force)
• Arbitration Act 2025
• Payment Services and Payment Accounts (Contract Termination) (Amendment) Regulations 2025

Volume 1: General Principles
Table of Statutes
Table of Statutory Instruments
Table of European Legislation
Table of National Legislation
Table of International Legislation
Table of Cases
Part 1: Introduction
1. Contract Law and “Contracts”
2. Freedom of Contract, Good Faith, Fairness and Reasonableness
3. Contract Law and Other Legal Categories
Part 2: Formation of Contract
4. The Agreement
5. Mistakes as to the Terms or as to Identity
6. Consideration
7. Estoppel
8. Form
9. Common Mistake
Part 3: Grounds of Avoidance
10. Misrepresentation
11. Duress, Undue Influence and Unconscionable Dealing
Part 4: Capacity of Parties
12. Personal Incapacity
13. Corporations and Unincorporated Associations
14. The Crown and Public Associations
15. Political Immunity and Incapacity
Part 5: The Terms of Contract
16. Express Terms
17. Implied Terms
18. Exemption Clauses
Part 6: Illegality and Public Policy
19. Illegality and Public Policy
Part 7: Joint Obligations, Third Parties, Agency and Assignment
20. Joint Obligations
21. Third Parties
22. Agency
23. Assignment and Novation
24. Death, Personal Insolvency and Corporate Insolvency
Part 8: Performance and Discharge
25. Performance
26. Discharge by Agreement, Variation and Waiver
27. Discharge by Frustration and Force Majeure Clauses
28. Termination for Breach
29. Other Modes of Discharge
Part 9: Remedies for Breach of Contract
30. Damages
31. Action for an Agreed Sum, Specific Performance and Injunction
32. Limitation of Acts
Part 10: Restitution
33. Restitution
Part 11: Conflict of Laws
34. Conflict of Laws
Index (Volume 1 only)

Volume 2: Specific Contracts
Table of Statutes
Table of Statutory Instruments
Table of European Legislation
Table of International Legislation
Table of Cases
35. Arbitration
36. Bailment
37. Bills of Exchange
38. Carriage by Air
39. Carriage by Land
40. Construction Contracts
41. Consumer Contracts
42. Credit and Security
43. Employment
44. Gambling Contracts
45. Insurance
46. Restrictive Agreements and Competition
47. Sale of Goods
48. Suretyship
Index (Volumes 1 & 2)