Duress

Unlawful force or action by one person against another in an attempt to coerce the person to perform some act against her will; the threat of force is called menace. Duress is a useful defense against enforcing a contract because there is no genuine meeting of the minds. A contract entered into under duress is not enforceable against the forced party. Courts are reluctant to give much weight to economic duress in which a person maintains he was forced into a contract due to financial pressures.