Principle

No. II.5 - Attribution of knowledge to principal

Facts which the agent knows or ought to have known are attributable to the principal.

Commentary

The principal may not misuse the agency by arguing that he was not aware or did not know certain facts which his agent knew or ought to have known. Because the agent acts for the principal and with authority granted by the latter, his knowledge is attributed to the principal.

Please cite as: "Commentary to Trans-Lex Principle II.5 - Attribution of knowledge to principal, https://www.trans-lex.org/915000"

References

National Legislation

Bürgerliches Gesetzbuch - German Civil Code

Doctrine

Dölle, Hans (ed.), Kommentar zum Einheitlichen Kaufrecht, Comment on Art. 10 by Ulrich Huber and on Art. 17 by Eduard Wahl, Munich 1976.

Esser, Josef, Grundsatz und Norm in der richterlichen Fortbildung des Privatrechts, 4th ed., Tübingen 1990

Jenks, Edward et al., A Digest of English Civil Law, London, Sydney, Calcutta, Winnipeg, Wellington 1921.

Magnus, Ulrich, Aktuelle Fragen des UN-Kaufrechts, 1 ZEuP 1993, at 79 et seq.

Magnus, Ulrich, Die allgemeinen Grundsätze im UN-Kaufrecht, 59 RabelsZ 1995, at 469 et seq.

Schilken, Eberhard, Wissenszurechnung im Zivilrecht, Bielefeld 1983

Principles / Restatements

UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts 2016

International Legislation

United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG)