Final answer:
Under promissory estoppel, a plaintiff does not need to show that a promise was made in writing. Instead, the essential elements include a clear and definite promise by the defendant, detrimental reliance on the promise by the plaintiff, and that the reliance was reasonable and foreseeable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of the question revolves around promissory estoppel, a legal principle in contract law. In response to the student's question regarding which statement is NOT one of the things a plaintiff must show under promissory estoppel, the correct answer is:
4) The promise was made in writing.
Under the doctrine of promissory estoppel, the plaintiff must prove the following elements, except for the promise being in writing:
- The defendant made a clear and definite promise.
- The plaintiff relied on the promise to their detriment.
- The reliance on the promise was reasonable and foreseeable by the defendant.
It is not a requirement under promissory estoppel that the promise be in writing. Instead, the focus is on the promise itself, the reliance on the promise, and the resulting detriment to the plaintiff.