Combe v Combe [1951] 2 KB 215 Court of Appeal

A husband promised to make maintenance payments to his estranged wife but failed to do so. The wife brought an action to enforce the promise invoking promissory estoppel.
Held:

Her action failed. There was no pre-existing agreement which was later modified by a promise. The wife sought to use promissory estoppel as sword and not a shield.

Back to lecture outline on promissory estoppel in Contract Law