Some documents that are simply signed through the normal course of business are still contracts. These include purchase orders, receipts, and sales agreements, among others. Understanding your end of any such agreements is crucial so that you can be aware of any legal consequences. You may be legally accountable for a contract, even if your understanding is incomplete.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

Obviously, reading anything before you sign it is the first step. But as you read it, pay careful attention to the terms of an agreement that outline your responsibilities and duties. However, documents can often be too lengthy 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 Fairfield, 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?

A contract is a written form of an agreement, not the agreement itself. Contract language is cumbersome, but it is your understanding of the actual agreement that typically matters most. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms may lead to problems. In Fairfield, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Some specific fields, such as finance, pose specific demands that can be time consuming to fulfill. But no matter how complicated the negotiations, the objective of a contract is to give the intent of the parties legal effect under California law.