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 certain you understand the sections that state your obligations. 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 attorney in Montague, Massachusetts can review any contract before you sign it, whether it is a standardized document or a negotiated agreement. Attorneys review contracts to ensure that the intent of their client is given proper legal expression within the written documents.

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

A contract is a written form of an agreement, not the agreement itself. Contract language is cumbersome, but it is your understanding of the actual agreement that typically matters most. 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 Montague who are qualified to review and explain contracts. 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 Massachusetts law.