A document can be considered a contract, even if it is one that is simply signed through the normal course of business. If they are held legally binding, purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others are properly classified as contracts.. 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 typically no excuse under the law.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

As a general rule, read anything before you sign it. As you read it, make sure you understand the sections that state your obligations. 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 Hackettstown, New Jersey can review any contract before you sign it, whether it is a standardized document or a negotiated document. Lawyers 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 New Jersey?

The words of a contract are meant to simply express an agreement between two parties. They are not the agreement itself. It is your understanding of the contract that typically matters most, regardless of cumbersome contract language. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms may lead to problems. In Hackettstown, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Specific fields, such as finance, may pose certain demands in contract law that can be cumbersome. But regardless of the situation, a contract under New Jersey law is to give legal effect to the intent of the forming parties.