Legal Definitions - sufficient cause

Sufficient Cause, also known as "good cause," refers to a legal determination that there is a strong enough and justifiable reason to support a particular action, decision, or legal outcome.

The specific criteria for what constitutes "sufficient cause" are not always fixed; they often depend on the particular area of law and the specific circumstances of a case. Essentially, it means having a legitimate and adequate basis for a legal step.

• In Employment Termination: Imagine a software developer who repeatedly accesses confidential company project files unrelated to their assigned work, despite receiving multiple written warnings from their employer. The company's employee handbook clearly states that unauthorized access to sensitive data is grounds for immediate dismissal.

  In this situation, the developer's repeated and unauthorized access to confidential information, coupled with prior warnings and a clear company policy, would likely be considered sufficient cause for the employer to terminate their employment. The employer has a justifiable reason based on policy violation and potential harm to the company.

• In Contract Disputes: Consider a catering company hired to provide food and service for a large wedding. On the day of the event, the company fails to show up, provides no explanation, and cannot be reached, leaving the wedding party without food or service. The contract stipulated clear penalties for non-performance.

  The catering company's complete failure to perform its contractual obligations without any justifiable reason would constitute sufficient cause for the wedding couple to terminate the contract, demand a full refund, and potentially sue for damages incurred due to the breach. The company's actions provided an undeniable basis for the couple's legal recourse.

• In Professional Licensing: Suppose a state board responsible for licensing real estate agents discovers that an agent has been consistently misrepresenting property values to clients, leading them to make financially unsound investments. The board investigates and finds clear evidence of deceptive practices over several transactions.

  The agent's pattern of deceptive practices and misrepresentation, which directly harms clients and violates professional ethics, would provide sufficient cause for the state licensing board to suspend or revoke the agent's license. The board has a compelling reason to act to protect the public from unethical practitioners.