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 important 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. Luckily, there are other way to make sure the contract is correct. An attorney in Watertown, South Dakota can review any contract before you sign it, whether it is a standardized document or a negotiated agreement. Attorneys 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 South Dakota?

The words of a contract are the expression of an agreement, not the agreement itself. It is the parties' understanding of the contract as it is made that determines its legal effect, regardless of the specific words used. 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 Watertown who are qualified to review and explain contracts. Some specific fields, such as finance, pose particular demands that can be time consuming to fulfill. But no matter how complicated the negotiations, the objective of a contract is to give the intent of the parties legal effect under South Dakota law.