Which legal principle prohibits a party from asserting a claim or right that contradicts a prior statement or conduct relied upon by another party?

• A. Election
• B. Estoppel
• C. Nonwaiver agreement
• D. Reservation of rights letter

Answer: (B)

Estoppel prevents a party from taking a position that contradicts a prior statement or conduct that another party reasonably relied on, to avoid injustice or unfair surprise. If someone has made a statement or acted in a way that leads another to rely on it, they cannot later assert a different claim that undermines that reliance. This principle keeps interactions predictable and fair by enforcing consistency between what was said or done and what is later claimed.

The other options don’t fit this situation as well: election is about choosing among incompatible rights or remedies rather than blocking a contradictory position based on reliance; a nonwaiver agreement is a clause about waiving or not waiving rights in a specific context, not about preventing contradiction of prior reliance; a reservation of rights letter is a notice that rights are preserved while an investigation continues, not about preventing inconsistency with earlier statements or conduct.