Legal Definitions - indeterminate obligation

An indeterminate obligation refers to a legal duty or commitment where the precise nature, quantity, or specific subject matter of the performance is not definitively fixed or specified at the time the obligation is created. Instead, the exact details are left to be determined later, often within a defined range, from a set of options, or according to certain criteria agreed upon by the parties. While the existence of the obligation is clear, its specific fulfillment remains flexible until a later point.

• Example 1: Service Contract with Flexible Scope

  A small business hires a web design agency to "create a new e-commerce website." The contract specifies the overall goal (selling products online) and a budget, but the exact number of product pages, specific design templates, or advanced features are not yet finalized. These details will be determined during the project's development phase through ongoing discussions between the business and the agency.

  This illustrates an indeterminate obligation because the agency's duty to build a website is clear, but the specific components and features that will fulfill this duty are not precisely fixed at the outset. They will be determined as the project progresses.

• Example 2: Agricultural Supply Agreement

  A bakery enters into a contract with a local farm to purchase "50 pounds of fresh berries" weekly for the summer season. The contract does not specify whether the berries will be strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries, as this will depend on what is ripe and available from the farm's harvest each week.

  Here, the farm's obligation to supply 50 pounds of fresh berries is certain, but the specific type of berry is indeterminate. It will be determined weekly based on the farm's harvest, making the exact fulfillment flexible within the category of "fresh berries."

• Example 3: Testamentary Gift with Choice

  A will contains a clause stating, "My niece, Sarah, shall receive one piece of jewelry from my antique collection." The collection includes several rings, necklaces, and brooches of varying value and design.

  This is an indeterminate obligation because while the executor is obligated to give Sarah a piece of jewelry, the specific item is not named. The choice of which piece of jewelry will fulfill this obligation is left to be determined, perhaps by Sarah herself or by the executor, depending on the will's further instructions.