In Texas, a contract is different from a normal agreement in that the parties to a contract intend their agreement to have legal effect. Contracts might be oral or written, as long as both parties have the same understanding of the terms of the agreement. In business transactions, written contracts are typically preferred for their reliability. These documents are best drafted by those who understand the law, because the very reason for a contract is to legally obligate the parties.

Negotiating a Contract in Grapevine

Negotiating the particular terms of a contract is crucial. There are several terms that should be included in every Grapevine contract to ensure that the agreement protects the interests of the parties. Being upfront about your intentions early on can be helpful, because it allows the terms of the contract to be decided based on clear expectations. Lastly, a clause that determines how to handle a dispute under the contract may be worthwhile to negotiate.

Using a Form Contract

It may save you time to use a form contract instead of drafting your own. Even so, you may want an attorney in Grapevine, Texas to add or remove terms, or to simply make the contract language more clear. Using a form contract without the advice of an attorney may pose problems. First, parties using form contracts often do not read all the clauses, 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 clause they don't really understand. Lawyers can help ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, whether negotiating a contract or using a form. Texas contract law is a field in which many Grapevine Lawyers have specialized.