Legal Definitions - Substantial Performance

Substantial Performance is a legal standard used to evaluate the performance of contracts. It means that the parties involved in the contract must meet the standard of substantial performance, which is not perfect performance but rather a reasonable level of performance.

For example, if you hire a contractor to build a house, the contractor does not have to build the house perfectly, but they must build it to a reasonable standard. If the contractor fails to meet this standard, it is considered a material breach of the contract.

Another example is if you hire a musician to perform at your wedding. The musician does not have to perform perfectly, but they must perform to a reasonable standard. If the musician fails to meet this standard, it is considered a material breach of the contract.

Overall, the standard of substantial performance is a lenient standard for contracting parties to meet, as it allows for some imperfections in performance as long as they do not constitute a material breach of the contract.