What do we call it when another party can enforce a promise without consideration?

The situation in which another party can enforce a promise without consideration is described by the concept of promissory estoppel. This legal doctrine allows a party to recover on a promise even in the absence of a formal contractual agreement when they have relied on that promise to their detriment.

Promissory estoppel serves to prevent injustice in situations where one party makes a promise that the other party relies on, leading to significant reliance and resulting harm if the promise is not enforced. For instance, if one person promises to donate a specific amount to a charity, and the charity, relying on that promise, incurs expenses in preparation for receiving the donation, the charity may seek to enforce the promise under promissory estoppel, even though no consideration was exchanged.

This principle highlights the importance of fairness and reliance in contractual relationships, ensuring that individuals are held accountable for their promises when another party has reasonably relied on those intentions, thus avoiding unjust outcomes.