A contract in Georgia is an agreement about anything of value between two or more parties who intend the agreement to have legal effect. It may be oral or written, as long as all parties agree to the contractual terms. Businesses most often prefer the reliability of written contracts in their transactions. These instruments are best written by those with an understanding of the law, since the intent behind a contract is to give it legal effect.

Negotiating a Contract in Cobb County

Along with certain clauses that should be included in every Cobb County contract for it to be valid, it is important to adequately discuss each term to make sure that the intent of each party is understood by the other. Stating your intentions clearly at the outset of negotiations is helpful, since then the parties may carefully detail the obligations and duties of the contract based on mutual expectations. Also, you may want to negotiate a process that can be followed should one party not fulfill its end of the contract.

Using a Form Contract

Form contracts can serve as a good starting point for a sound agreement. Attorneys in Cobb County, Georgia often keep past contracts on file, and can add or remove provisions based on the situation. They can also reword the specific language of form contracts to make them more clear. However, form contracts can pose problems if they need to be interpreted by courts, especially if they are used without the assistance of an attorney. First, parties are less likely to read form contracts thoroughly, which may lead to one side being unaware of their duties under the contract. Second, form contracts will often contain language that is difficult to understand outside the legal community. This can cause disagreement over the meaning of a term. Attorneys can help ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, whether negotiating a contract or using a form. Georgia contract law is a field in which many Cobb County Attorneys have specialized.