(a) This title must be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes and policies, which are:

Terms Used In Washington Code 62A.1-103

  • Bankruptcy: Refers to statutes and judicial proceedings involving persons or businesses that cannot pay their debts and seek the assistance of the court in getting a fresh start. Under the protection of the bankruptcy court, debtors may discharge their debts, perhaps by paying a portion of each debt. Bankruptcy judges preside over these proceedings.
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Fraud: Intentional deception resulting in injury to another.
(1) To simplify, clarify, and modernize the law governing commercial transactions;
(2) To permit the continued expansion of commercial practices through custom, usage, and agreement of the parties; and
(3) To make uniform the law among the various jurisdictions.
(b) Unless displaced by the particular provisions of this title, the principles of law and equity, including the law merchant and the law relative to capacity to contract, principal and agent, estoppel, fraud, misrepresentation, duress, coercion, mistake, bankruptcy, and other validating or invalidating cause supplement its provisions.
[ 2012 c 214 § 103; 1965 ex.s. c 157 § 1-103. Cf. former RCW sections: (i) RCW 22.04.570; 1913 c 99 § 56; RRS § 3642. (ii) RCW 23.80.180; 1939 c 100 § 18; RRS § 3803-118; formerly RCW 23.20.190. (iii) RCW 62.01.196; 1955 c 35 § 196; RRS § 3586. (iv) RCW 63.04.030; 1925 ex.s. c 142 § 2; RRS § 5836-2. (v) RCW 81.32.511; 1961 c 14 § 81.32.511; prior: 1915 c 159 § 51; RRS § 3697; formerly RCW 81.32.600.]

NOTES:

ApplicationSavings2012 c 214: See notes following RCW 62A.1-101.
Application of common law: RCW 4.04.010.