When parties to an agreement intend it to have legal effect, that agreement is called a contract. In Missouri, contracts may be oral or written, as long as both parties have the same understanding of the terms of the agreement. Most businesses want to solidify their agreements in writing so that they can rely on them in the future. Since many legal principles may be involved, drafting a contract works best when done with as much knowledge of the law as possible.

Negotiating a Contract in Warrensburg

There is more to a contract than what is required for it to be valid in Warrensburg. The specific terms of the contract should all be discussed separately so that the intent of each party is understood by the other. Being forthright about your intentions early on can be helpful, because it allows the terms of the contract to be determined based on clear expectations. Lastly, a clause that determines how to handle a dispute under the contract may be worthwhile to negotiate.

Using a Form Contract

Many Warrensburg, Missouri Attorneys use form contracts as a template for any new agreement. The attorney will add or remove contract provisions that the parties want, plus modify the specific language of the form contract to meet the parties' needs. This usually saves all parties time and money. There are risks to using a contract that neither party has written, especially if you proceed without the help of an attorney. First, using a form contract makes it more likely that one of the parties will not have understood the terms. This can lead to them being unaware of their duties under the contract. Second, the difficult language used in the field of contracts can make agreements written by others hard to understand. An attorney can ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, both with form contracts and in negotiations. In Warrensburg, many Attorneys specialize in Missouri contract law.