When parties to an agreement intend it to have legal effect, that agreement is called a contract. In New Mexico, contracts may be oral or written, as long as both parties have the same understanding of the terms of the agreement. Businesses most often prefer the reliability of written contracts in their transactions. These instruments are best written by those with an understanding of the law, since the intent behind a contract is to give it legal effect.

Negotiating a Contract in Taos

Negotiation of each specific term in a contract is important to ensure that the intent of each party is met. Also, there are certain clauses that should be included in every Taos contract to give it the desired legal effect. The terms of the contract may be determined based on clear expectations if both parties are forthright about their intentions early on. Also, parties may want to discuss whether they need a provision for resolving any disputes under the contract.

Using a Form Contract

Many Taos, New Mexico 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 assistance of an attorney. First, parties using form contracts often do not read all the terms, and can therefore be unaware of their obligations under the contract. Second, form contracts often use words and language understood only within the legal community. This may cause parties to agree to a term they don't really understand. With either a negotiated contract or a form, an attorney can ensure that the written document matches the intent of each party. Attorneys in Taos often specialize in New Mexico contract law.