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PARTY

Identifies the legal party (person or entity) who has an obligation, permission, or prohibition in a regulative rule.

Syntax

PARTY partyName
PARTY partyName MUST ...
PARTY partyName MAY ...
PARTY partyName SHANT ...

Purpose

PARTY is the starting point for regulative rules, specifying WHO is subject to the rule. It introduces:

  • Obligations (MUST)
  • Permissions (MAY)
  • Prohibitions (SHANT)

Examples

Example file:

-- PARTY keyword examples (regulative rules for legal contracts)
--
-- This file demonstrates L4's regulative features for legal drafting,
-- showing how to express obligations, permissions, and prohibitions that
-- are commonly found in contracts, legislation, and regulations.

-- Type Declarations

DECLARE `Legal Entity` IS ONE OF
  `The Borrower`
  `The Lender`
  `The Seller`
  `The Buyer`
  `The Employee`
  `The Employer`
  `The Tenant`
  `The Landlord`

DECLARE `Contract Action` IS ONE OF
  `make payment` HAS amount IS A NUMBER
  `deliver goods` HAS description IS A STRING
  `provide services`
  `sign document` HAS `document name` IS A STRING
  `disclose confidential information`
  `vacate premises`
  `pay damages` HAS amount IS A NUMBER

-- Basic Obligation (MUST)

-- Simple payment obligation with a deadline
-- The Borrower must make a payment within 30 days
`payment obligation` MEANS
  PARTY `The Borrower`
  MUST `make payment` 5000
  WITHIN 30

-- Permission (MAY)

-- Early termination right
-- The Tenant may vacate the premises early without penalty
`early termination right` MEANS
  PARTY `The Tenant`
  MAY `vacate premises`
  WITHIN 60

-- Prohibition (SHANT)

-- Non-disclosure obligation (confidentiality clause)
-- The Employee shall not disclose confidential information for 2 years
`confidentiality obligation` MEANS
  PARTY `The Employee`
  SHANT `disclose confidential information`
  WITHIN 730  -- 2 years in days

-- Alternative syntax: MUST NOT
-- Same prohibition expressed differently
`confidentiality obligation alternative` MEANS
  PARTY `The Employee`
  MUST NOT `disclose confidential information`
  WITHIN 730

-- With Consequences (HENCE/LEST)

-- Payment with grace period and penalty
-- If The Borrower pays on time, the contract is fulfilled.
-- If not, they must pay with a penalty within a grace period.
`payment with penalty clause` MEANS
  PARTY `The Borrower`
  MUST `make payment` 1000
  WITHIN 30
  HENCE FULFILLED
  LEST (
    PARTY `The Borrower`
    MUST `make payment` 1100  -- 10% penalty
    WITHIN 45  -- 15-day grace period
    LEST BREACH
  )

-- Chained Obligations

-- Purchase and delivery contract
-- The Buyer pays, then The Seller must deliver goods
`purchase and delivery contract` MEANS
  PARTY `The Buyer`
  MUST `make payment` 5000
  WITHIN 7
  HENCE
    PARTY `The Seller`
    MUST `deliver goods` "electronic equipment"
    WITHIN 14
    HENCE FULFILLED

-- Service contract with multiple steps
-- Sign document, then provide services, then receive payment
`service agreement` MEANS
  PARTY `The Employee`
  MUST `sign document` "employment contract"
  WITHIN 7
  HENCE
    PARTY `The Employee`
    MUST `provide services`
    WITHIN 90
    HENCE
      PARTY `The Employer`
      MUST `make payment` 3000
      WITHIN 7
      HENCE FULFILLED

-- Testing with #TRACE

-- Test 1: Payment obligation fulfilled on time
#TRACE `payment obligation` AT 0 WITH
  PARTY `The Borrower` DOES `make payment` 5000 AT 20

-- Test 2: Payment obligation breached (no payment)
#TRACE `payment obligation` AT 0 WITH

-- Test 3: Early termination right exercised
#TRACE `early termination right` AT 0 WITH
  PARTY `The Tenant` DOES `vacate premises` AT 30

-- Test 4: Confidentiality maintained (no breach)
#TRACE `confidentiality obligation` AT 0 WITH

-- Test 5: Payment with penalty - paid in grace period
#TRACE `payment with penalty clause` AT 0 WITH
  PARTY `The Borrower` DOES `make payment` 1100 AT 40

-- Test 6: Purchase and delivery - happy path
#TRACE `purchase and delivery contract` AT 0 WITH
  PARTY `The Buyer` DOES `make payment` 5000 AT 5
  PARTY `The Seller` DOES `deliver goods` "electronic equipment" AT 15

-- Test 7: Service agreement - complete workflow
#TRACE `service agreement` AT 0 WITH
  PARTY `The Employee` DOES `sign document` "employment contract" AT 3
  PARTY `The Employee` DOES `provide services` AT 50
  PARTY `The Employer` DOES `make payment` 3000 AT 100

Basic Obligation

DECLARE Person IS ONE OF Alice, Bob

myRule MEANS
  PARTY Alice
  MUST DO sing
  WITHIN 30

Permission

permissionRule MEANS
  PARTY Bob
  MAY DO dance
  WITHIN 60

Prohibition

prohibitionRule MEANS
  PARTY Alice
  SHANT smoke
  WITHIN 30

With Consequences

ruleWithConsequence MEANS
  PARTY Alice
  MUST DO pay
  WITHIN 30
  LEST PARTY Bob MAY DO sue WITHIN 60

Regulative Rule Structure

A complete regulative rule typically includes:

ruleName MEANS
  PARTY who          -- The party subject to the rule
  MUST/MAY/SHANT     -- The deontic modality
  DO action          -- What action is regulated
  WITHIN deadline    -- Time constraint
  HENCE consequent   -- What follows if rule is followed
  LEST alternative   -- What follows if rule is violated

See Also