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. Understanding your end of any such agreements is crucial 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 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. Luckily, there are other way to make sure the contract is correct. An attorney in Yankton, South Dakota 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 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 particular words used. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms might lead to problems. In Yankton, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Particular fields, such as finance, may pose certain demands in contract law that can be cumbersome. But regardless of the situation, a contract under South Dakota law is to give legal effect to the intent of the forming parties.