In Maryland, when two parties come to a mutually understood agreement that they intend to have legal force, a contract is created. There are both written and oral contracts, since all that is required is that the parties agree and understand each other. Businesses most often prefer the reliability of written contracts in their transactions. These instruments are best written by those with an expertise of the law, since the intent behind a contract is to give it legal effect.

Negotiating a Contract in Capitol Heights

Along with particular clauses that should be included in every Capitol 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. Stating your intentions clearly at the outset of negotiations is helpful, since then the parties may carefully detail the obligations and duties of the contract based on mutual expectations. Also, you may want to negotiate a process that can be followed should one party not fulfill its end of the contract.

Using a Form Contract

If an agreement needs a good starting point, you may want to consider a form contract. An attorney in Capitol Heights,Maryland 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. However, form contracts can pose problems if they need to be interpreted by courts, particularly if they are used without the advice of an attorney. First, using a form contract makes it more likely that one of the parties will not have understood the clauses. This can lead to them being unaware of their duties under the contract. Second, form contracts will often contain language that is difficult to understand outside the legal community. This can cause disagreement over the meaning of a clause. An attorney can ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, both with form contracts and in negotiations. In Capitol Heights, many Lawyers specialize in Maryland contract law.