What does the term "coercion" imply in legal terms?

The term "coercion" in legal terms refers to the act of using threats, force, or intimidation to compel someone to act against their will or judgment, particularly in the context of agreements or contracts. When a party is coerced, they may not be making a decision freely; instead, they are forced into an agreement due to the pressure exerted by another party.

In the context of contract law, if coercion is proven, the affected party has grounds to challenge the validity of the agreement, as their consent was not genuinely voluntary. This can lead to the contract being voidable, allowing the coerced party to rescind it or seek other legal remedies.

The other options refer to different legal concepts. For example, the idea of a contract being able to be rescinded relates more directly to scenarios involving coercion, but specifying that it is about the aggrieved party alone does not encapsulate the essence of coercion. Similarly, the options involving mutual mistake or unilateral mistake pertain to different grounds for legal disputes unrelated to the element of coercion, which is strictly about the use of threats or acts to secure agreement.