What is the mirror-image rule?

The mirror-image rule in contract law regarding Virginia states that an acceptance of a contract offer must be communicated in the same manner and substantially the same terms as the proposal made by the offeror. This means that any acceptance must be an exact “mirror image” of the proposal, containing no changes or additions. Any change or addition to the offeror’s proposal would be considered a counteroffer, not an acceptance, and would, as a result, reject the original offer. The mirror-image rule is important in contract law because it prevents the offeror from being bound by conditions he or she did not agree to. If the offering party is not aware of the changes, they may think they are accepting the original offer and, in turn, be legally bound to the modified agreement. Generally, this rule is only applicable when the parties are negotiating over a formal written contract. In Virginia, even the slightest deviation from the original offer may constitute a counteroffer which would reject the original offer. For instance, if the offeror presents an agreement with a clause that states "I agree to pay $1000," and the offeree responds with “I agree to pay $900” – the offeree has made a counteroffer and rejected the offeror’s original agreement. This rule ensures that parties are not held to agreements they did not intend to make.

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