A breach of contract in legal terms amounts to a broken promise to do or not do an act. Breaches of a contract are single, occuring at a single point in time, or continuing breaches. A lawsuit for breach of contract is a civil action and the remedies awarded are designed to place the injured party in the position they would be in if not for the breach. Remedies for contractual breaches are not designed to punish the breaching party. A contract a a legally enforceable promise, either made in writing or orally. However, certain promises must be reduced to writing in order to satisfy the Statute of Frauds, a rule of evidence that specifies certain matters must be evidenced by a written instrument.
