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  3. Law: Contract(s)

Kardinalspflicht

English translation: material contractual obligation

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Kardinalspflicht
English translation:material contractual obligation
Entered by: Francis Lee (X)

13:14 Dec 3, 2004
German to English translations [PRO]
Law/Patents - Law: Contract(s)
German term or phrase: Kardinalspflicht
"Firma XX haftet nach den gesetzlichen Bestimmungen, soweit er schuldhaft, also auch bei Vorliegen nur einfacher Fahrlässigkeit, eine wesentliche Vertragspflicht (Kardinalspflicht) verletzt"
A non-German-speaking lawyer told me he'd never heard of any "cardinal obligation" but suggested "fundamental" or "primary". Does anybody have a concrete answer? MTIA
Francis Lee (X)
Local time: 13:40
material contractual obligation
Explanation:
Random House Dictionary of the Law - material: essential, describing a component without which the whole will fail; material term of a contract

Bei leichter Fahrlässigkeit haftet die ISBAC nur, wenn die ISBAC eine wesentliche Vertragspflicht (Kardinalspflicht) verletzt hat.
http://www.iimos.com/0061-impressum-agb.htm

(i) CrossZ Solutions shall be liable only up to the amount of damages as typically foreseeable at the time of entering into the purchase agreement in respect of damages caused by a slightly negligent breach of a material contractual obligation and (ii) CrossZ Solutions shall not be liable for damages caused by a slightly negligent breach of a non-material contractual obligation.
http://www.queryobject.com/downloads/QOLicenseAgreement.html

In contrast to the current right to disenroll monthly, the conference bill would have permitted disenrollment after 90 days only if the plan misrepresented plan requirements or "substantially" violated a "material" contract provision.
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309055350/html/319.html

or 3) the individual demonstrates that the organization substantially violated a material contract provision or materially misrepresented the plan's provisions in marketing the plan to the individual.
http://www.hsdaas.utah.gov/hiip_supp_med_ins.htm
Selected response from:

Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 05:40
Grading comment
Thanks to everybody for their input and to Kim especially for "material" and for spelling my name correctly!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +3cardinal obligation
Jo Mayr
4material contractual obligation
Kim Metzger
4essential or key or major or paramount or suprme duty
Dr. Fred Thomson
4"Kardinalspflicht"
Fantutti (X)
3primary obligation
msherms


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


1 min   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +3
cardinal obligation


Explanation:
LEO

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Note added at 2 mins (2004-12-03 13:17:28 GMT)
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... cause a damage through gross negligence or with intent or culpably violate an obligation
that is essential to the con-tract (cardinal obligation) in manner ...
www.hochtief.com/hochtief_en/659.jhtml

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 4 mins (2004-12-03 13:19:27 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

... 4. The definition contractor in terms of the following provisions shall ... deliberate
violation of a major contractual duty (cardinal obligation), which impairs ...
www.vebeg.de/web/en/others/agbs.htm

there are so many of examles

Jo Mayr
Germany
Local time: 13:40
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  JM Simon (X): you're quick! :)
0 min
  -> its early, thank you!
agree  msherms
11 mins
  -> Dankeschön, Msherms!
agree  gangels (X): yes, just like one talks of a 'cardinal sin'
2 hrs
  -> Danke Klaus!
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18 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
primary obligation


Explanation:
I know I just agreed with the above answer because I have seen cardinal obligation in so many contracts. But then I began thinking that most of these contracts were from non-English speaking countries. Whereas I do not believe that cardinal obligation is necessarily wrong, Blacks Law Dictionary lists "primary obligation and accessory obligation" for a contract law context

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Note added at 19 mins (2004-12-03 13:34:50 GMT)
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Primary obligation - as defined by Black\'s Law Dictionary - is:
In contract law, a fundamental term imposing a requirement on a contracting party from which other obligations may spring.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 21 mins (2004-12-03 13:36:13 GMT)
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A Kardinalpflicht is \"eine wesentliche Vertragspflicht\" -

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 22 mins (2004-12-03 13:37:00 GMT)
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BTW- an accessory obligation is \"a duty, promise or undertaking that is incident to a primary obligation\".

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Note added at 26 mins (2004-12-03 13:41:41 GMT)
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To make things more complicated, cardinal obligation seems to be used in Australia : see website: http://www.findlaw.com.au/articles/default.asp?task=read&id=...


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Note added at 30 mins (2004-12-03 13:45:30 GMT)
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It seems to me (and someone in the legal field should make a statement on this) that although cardinal obligation is used often in a non-contract sense, primary obligation is what is actually used in a contract context in the English-speaking world.

msherms
Local time: 13:40
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
material contractual obligation


Explanation:
Random House Dictionary of the Law - material: essential, describing a component without which the whole will fail; material term of a contract

Bei leichter Fahrlässigkeit haftet die ISBAC nur, wenn die ISBAC eine wesentliche Vertragspflicht (Kardinalspflicht) verletzt hat.
http://www.iimos.com/0061-impressum-agb.htm

(i) CrossZ Solutions shall be liable only up to the amount of damages as typically foreseeable at the time of entering into the purchase agreement in respect of damages caused by a slightly negligent breach of a material contractual obligation and (ii) CrossZ Solutions shall not be liable for damages caused by a slightly negligent breach of a non-material contractual obligation.
http://www.queryobject.com/downloads/QOLicenseAgreement.html

In contrast to the current right to disenroll monthly, the conference bill would have permitted disenrollment after 90 days only if the plan misrepresented plan requirements or "substantially" violated a "material" contract provision.
http://books.nap.edu/books/0309055350/html/319.html

or 3) the individual demonstrates that the organization substantially violated a material contract provision or materially misrepresented the plan's provisions in marketing the plan to the individual.
http://www.hsdaas.utah.gov/hiip_supp_med_ins.htm


Kim Metzger
Mexico
Local time: 05:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 1256
Grading comment
Thanks to everybody for their input and to Kim especially for "material" and for spelling my name correctly!
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
essential or key or major or paramount or suprme duty


Explanation:
Hi, Frances. I am an experienced lawyer and I must tell you that this often does not mean much. All lawyers are specialized to one degree or another. Lawyers don't know everythingeven though we wish we did and sometimes pretend we do.
The term I am familiar with in this context is "duty." I would be inclined to translate your term as "paramount (or supreme) duty," i.e., a duty that knows no peer.
I hope this helps you.

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Note added at 1 hr 26 mins (2004-12-03 14:41:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

You could of course use: cardinal duty.
Also, Kim\'s suggestion certainly carries the idea and is typical legal terminology. I would be using \"duty\" rather than \"obligation,\" but as phrased by Kim and his sources the full term has the right ring to it.

Dr. Fred Thomson
United States
Local time: 05:40
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 463
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18 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
"Kardinalspflicht"


Explanation:
The official site for the 2006 FIFA World Cup™ Germany... Ticket Terms and Conditions as set out in the Sales Contract Offer and ... in case of a violation of an essential contractual duty (**Kardinalpflicht**), also simple ...
fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/ 06/en/d/hospitality/condition.html

It's obviously an untranslatable. Since we know what it is, namely a material contractual obligation, I'd just leave it. I saw it being used in English legal texts (Google) quite a few times.

Fantutti (X)
Local time: 04:40
PRO pts in category: 4
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