Waiver

A waiver is the relinquishment of a legal right. Whether a waiver is enforceable depends on the jurisdiction and the circumstances in which it is made. Courts may consider whether it was voluntary and informed, whether its terms were clear, and whether enforcing it would conflict with law or public policy.

Waiver may also arise from a party's conduct in legal proceedings. In Insurance Corp. of Ireland v. Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a party's refusal to comply with an order to produce evidence could result in waiver of its right to contest personal jurisdiction. Waivers are also used in public administration: under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act, the United States federal government may allow states to operate Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program differently from the usual statutory requirements, while local authorities in the United Kingdom may waive limits imposed by their standing orders in specified circumstances.

Enforceability

The following represent a general overview of considerations; specifics may vary dramatically depending on the jurisdiction.

Key factors that some courts (depending on jurisdiction) may look at while determining the applicability of a waiver:[citation needed]

Examples

Personal jurisdiction

In the case of Insurance Corp. of Ireland v. Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinee, 456 U.S. 694 (1982) the United States Supreme Court decided that when a court orders a party to produce proof on a certain point, and that party refuses to comply with the court's order, the court may deem that refusal to be a waiver of the right to contest that point and assume that the proof would show whatever the opposing party claims that it would.

In that court case, the defendant had argued that the court lacked personal jurisdiction over it but refused a court order to produce evidence of this lack of jurisdiction. The defendant argued that, because the court lacked jurisdiction, the court had no authority to issue an order to show proof of the lack of jurisdiction. The Supreme Court rejected that argument and determined that the defendant's refusal to comply waived the right to contest jurisdiction, just as if it had never contested jurisdiction at all.

Illegal waiver or agreement

In US states such as California, a waiver is not lawful when it is contrary to an express provision of law, its implicit policy, or good morals. Furthermore, one cannot waive responsibility for violation of law, willful injury to a person or property of another, for fraud, or waive their residential tenant rights.

Banking regulation

Federal law may also provide for waivers or exceptions from particular regulatory requirements. A 1994 United States law generally restricts interstate bank acquisitions that would result in a banking organization controlling more than 10 percent of the nation's insured deposits; by 2010, several large banks had reportedly received waivers from the requirement or used exceptions to exceed the threshold.

State health programs

Under Section 1115 of the Social Security Act, the United States federal government may issue waivers to individual states so that they may provide Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in different ways from how the law typically mandates provision.

Local government

In the United Kingdom, standing orders adopted by local councils typically designate limits on the level of authority delegated to staff to take action without approval by elected members, with provision being made to waive these limits in appropriate circumstances such as urgency or where the requirements for competition in public procurement cannot be engaged.

See also

References

  1. ↑ CAL. CIV. CODE § 1667: That is not lawful which is: 1. Contrary to an express provision of law; 2. Contrary to the policy of express law, though not expressly prohibited; or, 3. Otherwise contrary to good morals.
  2. ↑ CAL. CIV. CODE § 1668: All contracts which have for their object, directly or indirectly, to exempt any one from responsibility for his own fraud, or willful injury to the person or property of another, or violation of law, whether willful or negligent, are against the policy of the law.
  3. ↑ CAL. CIV. CODE § 1953: (a) Any provision of a lease or rental agreement of a dwelling by which the lessee agrees to modify or waive any of the following rights shall be void as contrary to public policy: (1) His rights or remedies under Section 1950.5 or 1954. (2) His right to assert a cause of action against the lessor which may arise in the future. (3) His right to a notice or hearing required by law. (4) His procedural rights in litigation in any action involving his rights and obligations as a tenant. (5) His right to have the landlord exercise a duty of care to prevent personal injury or personal property damage where that duty is imposed by law. (b) Any provision of a lease or rental agreement of a dwelling by which the lessee agrees to modify or waive a statutory right, where the modification or waiver is not void under subdivision (a) or under Section 1942.1, 1942.5, or 1954, shall be void as contrary to public policy unless the lease or rental agreement is presented to the lessee before he takes actual possession of the premises. This subdivision does not apply to any provisions modifying or waiving a statutory right in agreements renewing leases or rental agreements where the same provision was also contained in the lease or rental agreement which is being renewed. (c) This section shall apply only to leases and rental agreements executed on or after January 1, 1976.
  4. ↑ Herszenhorn, David M.; Chan, Sewell (21 April 2010). "Financial Debate Renews Scrutiny on Banks' Size". The New York Times.
  5. ↑ Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, Waivers, accessed 19 August 2023
  6. ↑ Broads Authority, Procedure for Waiving of Standing Orders, 7 July 2015, accessed 19 August 2023
  7. ↑ Brighton and Hove City Council, Constitution: Part 7.5 Contract Standing Orders, Standing Order 20, accessed 19 August 2023