From Dare To Void Contract: Unraveling The Legalities Of The Daring Christmas Lights Stunt

Recently, a video involving a daring Christmas lights stunt caught the attention of TikTok attorney Ugo Lord, who seized the opportunity to delve into the legal nuances of the seemingly innocent dare. Ugo Lord, who has 6.7 million followers on the app, shared his legal insight on a viral video where a friend challenges another to pull the plug on a festive display.

The Dare

In the video, two friends pass by a house with a bright and colored sheath-like Christmas decoration. The friend is willing to pay $20 if the young man unplugs the lights.

The young man agrees and runs to the plug. Later, the friend tries to dissuade him at the last moment that it’s not a good idea. The young man counts down from three and pulls the plug, causing the lights to go off.

While amusing to the viewers, the act raised an interesting question: Could that dare be treated as a valid oral agreement? If yes, what are the legal consequences?

Oral Agreements: A Brief Overview

Ugo Lord, known for his legal insights on TikTok, stepped in to dissect the scenario. He proposed that the dare formed an ‘oral contract.’ 

The California Civil Code § 1622 states, “All contracts may be oral, except such as are specially required by statute to be in writing.” 

He pointed out that unplugging someone’s Christmas lights, or any electrical device, without their consent is a crime. 

“It is against the law to interfere with anyone’s use of electricity,” Lord explains.

However, in legal terms, “if you contract with someone else to commit a crime, then the contract is void.”

So, “this cameraman does not have to cough up the $20.” as Lord concluded.

Understanding Void Contracts

A void contract lacks legal effect from its inception. It’s deemed invalid and does not alter the parties’ legal relationships. If a contract involves an unlawful objective or illegal consideration, it’s considered void. This is supported by California Civil Code § 1608, which states, “If any part of a single consideration for one or more objects, or of several considerations for a single object, is unlawful, the entire contract is void.”

However, an oral contract needs to be satisfied by several requirements. These include understandable clauses, a “meeting of the minds,” reasonable consideration, and a valid offer and acceptance.

The dare video’s terms were clear: “20 bucks to pull the plug.” The young man accepted the offer, and thus, an oral contract was formed. But Lord adds a twist to the narrative.

Where does this leave our daring TikToker? Technically, the contract to unplug the Christmas lights was void, as it involved an illegal act. Thus, despite the $20 dare being fulfilled, the contract’s illegality means the cameraman isn’t legally obligated to pay.

As for the young man who completed the dare, he’s sparked a conversation among the community about oral contracts, void contracts, and the legality of unplugging Christmas lights. An unexpected lesson indeed!

A Lesson Wrapped in Laughter

The video serves as a warning that even innocent-seeming actions can have complicated legal consequences. It emphasizes the necessity of knowing fundamental contract law and realizing penalties for unlawful behavior, even when it hides behind humor and holiday cheer.

In conclusion, the viral TikTok video has amused millions and unknowingly enlightened them about contract law nuances. Thus, remember this situation the next time you consider taking a dare. It is not just about laughter or viral recognition, but some legal wisdom might be concealed in it!