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?

Reading a document before you sign it is obviously the cardinal rule. The clauses outlining your duties under the contract are especially worthy of special attention. 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. An attorney in Riverdale Park, Maryland can review any contract before you sign it, whether it is a standardized document or a negotiated document. Lawyers 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 Maryland?

The words of a contract are meant to simply express an agreement between two parties. They are not the agreement itself. It is your understanding of the contract that typically matters most, regardless of cumbersome contract language. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms may lead to problems. In Riverdale Park, 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 Maryland law.