A contract in Iowa 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. In business transactions, written contracts are generally preferred for their reliability. These documents are best drafted by those who understand the law, because the very reason for a contract is to legally obligate the parties.

Negotiating a Contract in Windsor Heights

Along with specific clauses that should be included in every Windsor Heights 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. Being forthright about your intentions can help the contract goal of mutual understanding of expectations. To conclude negotiations, you may want to include a clause that determines what is to be done if a party fails to meet its duty.

Using a Form Contract

If an agreement needs a good starting point, you may want to consider a form contract. An attorney in Windsor Heights,Iowa can add or remove provisions according to the intent of the parties, and even the specific language can be made more comprehensible so that expectations are clear. If the parties attempt to use a form contract without an attorney's help, there may be risks. First, form contracts have the tendency to go unread. Any party who does not carefully review all the contract terms can be left unaware of their obligations under the contract. Second, form contracts often contain language that is specific to the field of law, and using forms without an understanding of this language can cause future disagreements over a contract's meaning. Attorneys can help ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, whether negotiating a contract or using a form. Iowa contract law is a field in which many Windsor Heights Attorneys have specialized.