minor breach

an insignificant breach of contract that does not go to the foundation of the agreement. In the world of contracts, a breach may be measured in degrees as to its effect on the contract as a whole. A minor breach is a status designation for a breach of minimal degree. Compare minor breach to material breach which is essentially a deal breaker. Whether or not a particular situation is merely a minor breach or something more significant is usually a matter for the courts to decide.

Fiona's niece, Sheila, is to be married. Sheila contracts with a local bakery to provide a wedding cake, which is to be delivered to the reception hall. The contract calls for a chocolate layer cake with raspberry jam filling. On the day of the event the cake is delivered and set up according to the agreement. All is well until one of the guests notices that the cake is actually filled with boysenberry jam. Being a sensible person, Sheila realizes that that mix up constitutes only a minor breach of the contract, thinks nothing more of it and enjoys her reception.