Documents simply signed through the course of ordinary 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 generally no excuse under the law.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

Before you sign anything, read what you are signing. Pay careful attention to the clauses of your duties under the contract. 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 East Lansing, Michigan 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 Michigan?

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. If you do not understand a contract, you might want to look for an outside source in East Lansing to review and explain it. It is unwise to rely on the other party's representation of what is contained in the contract. Some specific fields, such as finance, pose certain 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 Michigan law.