Documents simply signed through the course of usual 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 usually 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. Luckily, there are other way to make sure the contract is correct. An attorney in Stoughton, Massachusetts can review any standardized documents that are signed during routine business, and can also look over any individual contract before you sign it. As they review contracts, Lawyers ensure that the written documents match the intent of their clients.

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

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 particular words used. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms might lead to problems. In Stoughton, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Contract negotiations, especially in the context of particular 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 Massachusetts law.