§ 2320 Agent Disobedience For Principal'S Benefit

Civil Code·California

AI SummaryVerified

This law lets a person acting for someone else make decisions without waiting for the owner's permission when it's urgent and clearly benefits the owner.

Key Takeaways

•You can act without permission if it's urgent.
•The action must clearly help the person you're representing.
•There must not be time to ask the principal first.

Example

A manager sees a customer about to slip on a wet floor in a store and immediately moves them to safety without calling the store owner.

Because the situation is urgent and keeping the customer safe is clearly in the owner's interest, the manager can act without waiting for instructions.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source

View on CA.gov

§ 2320 Agent Disobedience For Principal'S Benefit

An agent has power to disobey instructions in dealing with the subject of the agency, in cases where it is clearly for the interest of his principal that he should do so, and there is not time to communicate with the principal. (Enacted 1872.)

Last verified: January 9, 2026

Key Terms

agent principal disobey instructions

References

Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
California Legislature. Civil Code. Section 2320.

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References

Key Takeaways

Example

Key Terms

Related Statutes

References