Under certain circumstances, documents simply signed through the course of business may be considered contracts. Purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others are contracts when they are held to be legally binding. Understanding your end of any such agreements is essential so that you can be aware of any legal consequences. You may be legally accountable for a contract, even if your understanding is incomplete.

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. If so, there are still other ways you can effectively review it. Whether they are routine documents or negotiated agreements, an attorney in Lexington County, South Carolina can review any contract before you sign it. In reviewing a contract, a lawyer will ensure that your intent is what shows up in the written document.

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

Although contracts are expressed in words, the agreement itself is what matters. Regardless of the language, parties to a contract are usually legally bound only according to their understanding of the contract. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms might lead to problems. In Lexington County, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Negotiations in some specific fields, such as finance, can require unique expertise; but no matter how complicated the situation, the objective of contract law in South Carolina is to give legal effect to the intent of the parties involved.