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Simple English definitions for legal terms
determinate obligation
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A quick definition of determinate obligation:
An obligation is a duty to do something or not do something, either because of a law, contract, promise, or moral code. It can also be a formal agreement to pay a certain amount or do a certain thing for someone else. A determinate obligation is one that has a specific thing as its object, like delivering a specific book. An indeterminate obligation is one that is not specific in amount or form. There are also different types of obligations, like joint obligations that bind multiple debtors to a single performance, or moral obligations that are based on conscience rather than law.A more thorough explanation:
Definition: A legal or moral duty to do or not do something that has a specific thing as its object. It is a formal, binding agreement or acknowledgment of a liability to pay a certain amount or to do a certain thing for a particular person or set of persons.
Examples: An obligation to deliver a specific book, such as the 1491 Venice edition of Vocabularium Iuris that once belonged to H.L.A. Hart, is a determinate obligation. Another example is a loan agreement that requires payment of four loan installments and delivery of a deed of trust. Each loan installment and the deed's delivery is a separate, enforceable performance.
Explanation: A determinate obligation is one that has a specific object, such as a particular book or a specific performance. It cannot be satisfied by delivering something else or performing a different action. The examples illustrate how a determinate obligation requires a specific performance or delivery, and cannot be satisfied by anything else.