Under certain circumstances, documents simply signed through the course of business might be considered contracts. Purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others are contracts when they are held to be legally binding. For any such agreements, it is crucial 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?

Reading a document before you sign it is obviously the cardinal rule. The clauses outlining your duties under the contract are especially worthy of special attention. If the document is too long for a worthwhile read, or it is so commonplace that reading it is not practical, there are still other ways you can effectively review it. An attorney in North East, Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania?

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 North East, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Negotiations in some particular fields, such as finance, can require unique expertise; but no matter how complicated the situation, the objective of contract law in Pennsylvania is to give legal effect to the intent of the parties involved.