What does estoppel prevent a party from doing?

Estoppel serves as a legal principle that prevents a party from asserting or asserting a claim or a right that contradicts what they previously established as a true statement of facts. In the context of contracts, estoppel ensures that a party cannot assert a contractual condition against another party after they have led the other party to reasonably rely on a different understanding of the situation.

For example, if one party has made representations that a certain condition is satisfied and the other party has relied on that representation to their detriment, the first party cannot later assert that the condition was not met, as it would be unfair to allow them to change their position. This concept is crucial in fostering fairness and reliance in contractual relationships; it upholds the integrity of agreements by ensuring that parties honor their prior statements and commitments.

In contrast, the other answer choices relate to specific actions within contract negotiations and agreements but do not capture the broader principle of estoppel as it applies to barring a party from contradicting their prior assertions or positions that another party relied upon.