One parol-evidence rule is not like the other . . .

Originally published by David Coale.

Footnote 11 of the Texas Supreme Court’s recent opinion in West v. Quintanilla clarified the two distinct doctrines, each of which is commonly referred to as “the parol evidence rule”: “The contract-construction rule applies when a contract is written and unambiguous, and it prohibits consideration of oral or extrinsic evidence to modify or add to the contract’s terms. ‘[T]he construction of an unambiguous contract, including the determination of whether it is unambiguous, depends on the language of the contract itself, construed in light of the surrounding circumstances.’ By contrast, the parol evidence rule applies when a contract is written and integrated, and it precludes enforcement of any prior or contemporaneous agreement that is inconsistent with the written contract’s terms.” No. 17-0454 (Tex. Apr. 5, 2019) (citations omitted).

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