Poussard v. Spiers and Pond (1876)

Poussard v. Spiers and Pond (1876) is a legal case about contract performance. An opera singer agreed to perform in a production but fell ill just before opening night. The producers then replaced her with another singer. When she later demanded her fee, the court held that her failure to perform on time was a breach of contract, allowing the producers to refuse to pay her. The case illustrates that timely performance is often a condition of a contract, and failing to meet such conditions can justify the other party in withholding payment or ending the agreement.