Some documents that are simply signed through the usual course of business are still contracts. These include purchase orders, receipts, and sales agreements, among others. For any such agreements, it is necessary that you understand your end of the bargain and the legal consequences of it. Otherwise, you could be held legally accountable for something you did not expect.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

Reading a document before you sign it is obviously the cardinal rule. The clauses outlining your duties under the contract are especially worthy of special attention. If the document is too long 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 Fairbanks, Alaska can review any contract before you sign it, whether it is a standardized document or a negotiated document. Lawyers review contracts to ensure that the intent of their client is given proper legal expression within the written documents.

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

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 particular words used. Given that your understanding of the contract is what matters, problems can result if you rely exclusively on the other party's representation of the contract terms. There are third parties in Fairbanks who are qualified to review and explain contracts. Contract negotiations, especially in the context of particular fields such as finance, can be time consuming and difficult. But as in all contracts, the objective is to record the intent of the parties so that their agreement will be given legal effect under Alaska law.