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. Understanding your end of the bargain is necessary for such agreements, since there may be legal consequences as with any other contract. Accountability for contracts should be anticipated as much as possible.

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 Hillsdale, Michigan 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 Michigan?

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 specific words used. 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 Hillsdale who are qualified to review and explain contracts. Regardless of how complicated the negotiations in a specific field may be, giving the intent of the parties legal effect is the objective of all contracts under Michigan law.