Documents simply signed through the course of normal business may still be considered contracts. Purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others can be held legally binding under certain circumstances. As a legally binding agreement, a contract must be fully understood in order for its legal consequences to be appreciated. Not expecting a contract's enforcement is typically no excuse under the law.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

Before you sign anything, read what you are signing. Pay careful attention to the terms of your duties under the contract. If the document is too lengthy for a worthwhile read, or it is so commonplace that reading it is not practical, there are still other ways you can effectively review it. An attorney in Kittery, Maine can review any standardized documents that are signed during routine business, and can also look over any individual contract before you sign it. As they review contracts, Attorneys ensure that the written documents match the intent of their clients.

What if I Don't Understand a Contract in Maine?

The words of a contract are the expression of an agreement, not the agreement itself. It is the parties' understanding of the contract as it is made that determines its legal effect, regardless of the specific words used. If you do not understand a contract, you may want to look for an outside source in Kittery to review and explain it. It is unwise to rely on the other party's representation of what is contained in the contract. Specific fields, such as finance, may pose certain demands in contract law that can be cumbersome. But regardless of the situation, a contract under Maine law is to give legal effect to the intent of the forming parties.