All persons are capable of contracting, except minors, persons of unsound mind, and persons deprived of civil rights.
Nature of a ContractParties
Section § 1556
In California, everyone can make a contract unless they are a minor, have mental health problems, or have lost certain legal rights.
minors unsound mind civil rights deprivation
Section § 1557
This law outlines who can and cannot make legally binding contracts. It points to other specific rules for minors and people who aren't mentally capable. For minors, there are rules in another part of the law, and for those who might not have sound mental capacity, different sections apply.
(a)CA Civil Law Code § 1557(a) The capacity of a minor to contract is governed by Division 11 (commencing with Section 6500) of the Family Code.
(b)CA Civil Law Code § 1557(b) The capacity of a person of unsound mind to contract is governed by Part 1 (commencing with Section 38) of Division 1.
minor contract capacity unsound mind contract Division 11 Family Code
Section § 1558
For a contract to be valid, it's important that the individuals or parties involved are clearly identifiable and actually exist.
It is essential to the validity of a contract, not only that the parties should exist, but that it should be possible to identify them.
contract validity identify parties existence of parties
Section § 1559
If a contract is specifically created to benefit someone who is not directly involved in the agreement, that person has the right to enforce the contract, as long as the original parties have not canceled it yet.
A contract, made expressly for the benefit of a third person, may be enforced by him at any time before the parties thereto rescind it.
third-party beneficiary contract enforcement benefit of third person
