A document can be considered a contract, even if it is one that is simply signed through the usual course of business. If they are held legally binding, purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others are properly classified as contracts.. For any such agreements, it is critical that you understand your end of the bargain and the legal consequences of it. Otherwise, you could be held legally accountable for something you did not expect.

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. Luckily, there are other way to make sure the contract is correct. An attorney in Smithfield, North Carolina 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, Attorneys ensure that the written documents match the intent of their clients.

What if I Don't Understand a Contract in North Carolina?

A written contract is the expression of an agreement between two parties; 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. Given that your understanding of the contract is what matters, problems might result if you rely exclusively on the other party's representation of the contract terms. There are third parties in Smithfield who are qualified to review and explain contracts. Contract negotiations, especially in the context of specific 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 North Carolina law.