Duress and Undue Influence

Duress and undue influence are legal concepts that relate to the pressure exerted on someone to make decisions or agreements. Duress occurs when someone is threatened or harmed, forcing them to act against their will. For instance, if a person is threatened with violence to sign a contract, that contract can be voided due to duress. Undue influence, on the other hand, involves an imbalance of power, where one person takes advantage of their relationship with another to manipulate them into making decisions. This often occurs in relationships like caregiver and patient or between family members.