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 the bargain is critical for such agreements, since there may be legal consequences as with any other contract. Accountability for contracts should be anticipated as much as possible.

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. An Eldridge, Iowa attorney can look over a contract before you sign it, as well as review any standardized documents that you deal with on a routine basis. In so doing, the Attorney will ensure that the legal effect of the documents matches your intent.

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

The words of a contract are meant to simply express an agreement between two parties. They are not the agreement itself. It is your understanding of the contract that usually matters most, regardless of cumbersome contract language. Since you will be bound by your understanding of a contract, it is unwise to rely too heavily on the other party's representation of your duties. A neutral third party in Eldridge can be hired to review and explain the contract. Contract negotiations, especially in the context of specific 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 Iowa law.