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?

Reading a document before you sign it is obviously the cardinal rule. The terms outlining your duties under the contract are especially worthy of special attention. 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. A Pella, 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 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 specific words used. If you do not understand a contract, you may want to look for an outside source in Pella to review and explain it. It is unwise to rely on the other party's representation of what is contained in 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 Iowa law.