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?

Before you sign anything, read what you are signing. Pay careful attention to the clauses of your duties under the contract. However, documents can often be too long for a worthwhile read, or so commonplace that reading each one is not practical. If so, there are still other ways you can effectively review it. Whether they are routine documents or negotiated agreements, an attorney in Atherton, California can review any contract before you sign it. In reviewing a contract, a lawyer will ensure that your intent is what shows up in the written document.

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

Although contracts are expressed in words, the agreement itself is what matters. Regardless of the language, parties to a contract are typically legally bound only according to their understanding of the contract. Since you will be bound by your understanding of a contract, it is unwise to rely too much on the other party's representation of your duties. A neutral third party in Atherton can be hired to review and explain the contract. 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 California law.