When parties to an agreement intend it to have legal effect, that agreement is called a contract. In Montana, contracts might 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 might be involved, drafting a contract works best when done with as much knowledge of the law as possible.

Negotiating a Contract in Butte

Along with specific clauses that should be included in every Butte 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. Being upfront about your intentions early on can be helpful, because it allows the terms of the contract to be decided 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 Butte, Montana Lawyers 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. Using a form contract without the advice of an attorney may pose problems. First, parties using form contracts often do not read all the clauses, and can therefore be unaware of their obligations under the contract. Second, the challenging 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 Butte, many Lawyers specialize in Montana contract law.