Documents simply signed through the course of normal business may still be considered contracts. Purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others can be held legally binding under certain circumstances. As a legally binding agreement, a contract must be fully understood in order for its legal consequences to be appreciated. Not expecting a contract's enforcement is typically no excuse under the law.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

As a general rule, read anything before you sign it. As you read it, make sure you understand the sections that state your obligations. However, documents can often be too long 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. Lawyer in East Bridgewater, Massachusetts can review any contract before you sign it, whether it is a negotiated agreement or a standard form signed during routine business. For Lawyer, the process of a contract review is to ensure that the written documents match the legal intent of their clients.

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

A written contract is the expression of an agreement between two individuals; it is not the agreement itself. Regardless of any confusing contract language, you are legally bound only according to both parties' understanding of the contract. Given that your understanding of the contract is what matters, problems may result if you rely exclusively on the other party's representation of the contract terms. There are third parties in East Bridgewater who are qualified to review and explain contracts. Negotiations in some particular fields, such as finance, can require unique expertise; but no matter how complicated the situation, the objective of contract law in Massachusetts is to give legal effect to the intent of the parties involved.