The Coronation cases were a group of appellate opinions in English law

English law

English law is the legal system of England and Wales, and is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States except Louisiana...

 cases, all arising out of contract

Contract

A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...

s that had been made for accommodation for viewing the celebrations surrounding the coronation

Coronation

A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...

 of King Edward VII, originally scheduled for June 26, 1902. The King fell ill, and the Coronation was postponed until August.

In general, the contracts were voided on the ground of frustration of purpose

Frustration of purpose

In the law of contracts, frustration of purpose is a defense to enforcement of the contract. Frustration of purpose occurs when an unforeseen event undermines a party's principal purpose for entering into a contract, and both parties knew of this principal purpose at the time the contract was made...

. Certain contracts which did not mention that the purpose was to view the Coronation festivities were upheld, however.

List of cases

The cases included:

• Krell v Henry [1903] 2 K.B. 740
• Chandler v Webster
  Chandler v Webster
  Chandler v Webster [1904] 1 KB 493 is an English contract law case, concerning frustration. It is one of the many coronation cases, which appeared in the courts after King Edward VII fell ill and his coronation was postponed.-Facts:...
  
  [1904] 1 KB 493
• Herne Bay Steamboat Co v Hutton
  Herne Bay Steamboat Co v Hutton
  Herne Bay Steamboat Co v Hutton [1903] 2 KB 683 is a case on the subject of frustration of purpose. It is one of a group of cases arising out of the same event, known as the coronation cases.-Facts:...
  
  [1903] 2 K.B. 683
• Hobson v Pattenden & Co (1903) 19 TLR 186
• Clark v Lindsay (1903) 19 TLR 202
• Griffith v Brymer (1903) 19 TLR 434

In this matter, the parties entered into the contract after the decision had been made (but not publicized) to operate on the King. The contract was ruled to be void, not under the doctrine of frustration of purpose as in other Coronation cases, but on the grounds of mistake. The crucial difference is that, unlike the other coronation cases where a later event made the contract fundamentally different, in this case the parties entered into the contract under the mistaken assumption of fact that the coronation would take place.