Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1697. Section 1697.
A contract not in writing may be modified in any respect by consent of the parties, in writing, without a new consideration, and is extinguished thereby to the extent of the modification.
CHAPTER 3. Modification and Cancellation [1697. - 1701.]
Cal. Civil Code - CIV 3.
in effectCal. Civil Code - CIV § 1698. Section 1698.
(a)
A contract in writing may be modified by a contract in writing.
(b)
A contract in writing may be modified by an oral agreement to the extent that the oral agreement is executed by the parties.
(c)
Unless the contract otherwise expressly provides, a contract in writing may be modified by an oral agreement supported by new consideration. The statute of frauds (Section 1624) is required to be satisfied if the contract as modified is within its provisions.
(d)
Nothing in this section precludes in an appropriate case the application of rules of law concerning estoppel, oral novation and substitution of a new agreement, rescission of a written contract by an oral agreement, waiver of a provision of a written contract, or oral independent collateral contracts.
Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1699. Section 1699.
The destruction or cancellation of a written contract, or of the signature of the parties liable thereon, with intent to extinguish the obligation thereof, extinguishes it as to all the parties consenting to the act.
Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1700. Section 1700.
The intentional destruction, cancellation, or material alteration of a written contract, by a party entitled to any benefit under it, or with his consent, extinguishes all the executory obligations of the contract in his favor, against parties who do not consent to the act.
Cal. Civil Code - CIV § 1701. Section 1701.
Where a contract is executed in duplicate, an alteration or destruction of one copy, while the other exists, is not within the provisions of the last section.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026