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LSDefine

Simple English definitions for legal terms

agency

Read a random definition: act of God

A quick definition of agency:

Agency law is a set of rules that control the relationship between a person who acts on behalf of someone else (an agent) and the person they are acting for (the principal). When an agent is given permission to act for the principal, they have the authority to make agreements that are binding on the principal. There are two types of authority: express authority, which means the agent can do what the principal asks, and implied authority, which means the agent can do what the principal's behavior suggests they should do. If a third party believes the agent has authority to act on behalf of the principal, even if they don't, the principal can still be held responsible for the agent's actions. The principal is always responsible for the agent's actions while they are doing their job, but not for actions outside of their job unless it was a detour (allowed) or a frolic (not allowed).

A more thorough explanation:

Agency law is a set of rules that governs the relationship between agents and principals. An agent is someone who acts on behalf of another person, called the principal. The principal-agent relationship is created when the agent is given the authority to act for the principal.

There are two types of authority that an agent can have: express authority and implied authority.

  • Express authority: An agent has express authority to take any actions requested by the principal as well as authority to take any actions inherently necessary to accomplish those requests.
  • Implied authority: An agent has implied authority to take any action the principal’s conduct indicates the agent should do. Furthermore, failure by the principal to object to an agent’s prior actions may create implied authority to repeat those actions in the future. An agent does not have implied authority to do anything expressly prohibited by the principal.

For example, if a principal hires an agent to sell their car, the agent has express authority to negotiate the price and complete the sale. The agent also has implied authority to take actions necessary to complete the sale, such as showing the car to potential buyers and advertising the car.

In addition to actual authority, a principal may be bound by the actions of an agent if apparent authority existed.

  • Apparent authority: An agent has apparent authority when, despite no existing authority, a third party reasonably infers that someone is authorized to act on the principal’s behalf due to the conduct of the principal.

For example, if a principal allows an employee to wear a uniform with the company logo and interact with customers, a third party may reasonably infer that the employee has the authority to act on behalf of the company. In this case, the employee has apparent authority to make decisions on behalf of the company.

Additionally, principals can be held liable for the torts of their agents under the doctrine of vicarious liability.

  • Vicarious liability: A principal is always liable for torts committed while the agent completes their official responsibilities.

For example, if a delivery driver causes an accident while making a delivery for their employer, the employer is vicariously liable for any damages caused by the accident.

However, if the agent commits a tort outside of their official responsibilities, the liability of the principal depends on whether the agent’s tort occurred during a frolic or a detour.

  • Detour: A principal is liable for the detours of their agent.
  • Frolic: A principal is not liable for the frolics of their agent.

For example, if a delivery driver causes an accident while running a personal errand during their delivery route, the employer may be liable for the damages caused by the accident because it was a detour from their official responsibilities. However, if the driver causes an accident while joyriding in the delivery truck, the employer may not be liable because it was a frolic outside of their official responsibilities.

age of majority | agency shop

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THATS SO FUNNY
i cant i would go crazy
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
i need to know who decided to do that.
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:50
omg im on a plane weeeee
the devil
youre on a plane??? LSD made the mile high club??
20:50
yo splitterus are you in school already
20:50
it says ur c/o 2027
JumpySubsequentDolphin
20:51
@SplitterusClitterus: HAHAH yes
ur user is hilarioussss and no i just graduated this may and am now applying ---also im out of messages so ill take a lil
20:52
roger dat. see u in heck
im back, r u applying this cycle too
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
this child fell asleep on me
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:32
im so uncomfortable
just push him off the entire seat
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:34
LMAOOOO
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
no he’s literally like 8 and he fully just put his head on my bicep and slept
JumpySubsequentDolphin
21:35
he has since moved
22:12
@SplitterusClitterus: me yesterday
gulc baby pls text me back... i miss you ...... :(
22:23
i just went into a discord vc and yelled "YALL I JUST GOT INTO J.M. SCHOOL OF LAW"
22:24
people were getting excited :sob:
22:25
then someone was like "what does jm stand for" and i was like .. well
AHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAH
@JumpySubsequentDolphin: wait this is so cute, also where r u going
JOE MBIDEN
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:39
@splitty Oregon!
oh yay for what thats so random
JumpySubsequentDolphin
22:45
haha my brother and sister in law live there
so cutie oregon is beatiful
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