What does the legal doctrine of estoppel prevent a person from doing?

The legal doctrine of estoppel is designed to prevent a person from claiming rights or taking positions that are inconsistent with their previous actions, conduct, or statements. When an individual has acted in a way that leads another party to reasonably rely on those actions or representations, the doctrine of estoppel upholds the reliability of the initial conduct.

For instance, if someone has stated or behaved in a manner that implies they will not enforce a legal right, they may be prevented from later asserting that right if another person has relied on that assumption to their detriment. This is a foundational principle aimed at promoting fairness and preventing injustice in legal relationships.

The other options do not accurately reflect the nature of estoppel. The concept specifically revolves around the inconsistency between a person's claims and their past behavior or statements, rather than broader categories like verbal agreements, friendships, or mere existence of contracts. Therefore, the focus on the contradiction of previous actions is paramount to understanding the application and importance of estoppel in legal contexts.