Documents simply signed through the course of normal business may still be considered contracts. Purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others can be held legally binding under certain circumstances. Since the contract is a written agreement between parties, it is necessary that you understand your end of the agreement. If you don?t, you may still be held liable.

How Can I Ensure a Contract is Good?

Obviously, reading anything before you sign it is the first step. But as you read it, pay careful attention to the terms of an agreement that outline your responsibilities and duties. 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. An attorney in Big Stone Gap, Virginia 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 Virginia?

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. Since it's your understanding that matters, relying on the other party's explanation of the contract terms may lead to problems. In Big Stone Gap, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Contract negotiations, especially in the context of specific fields such as finance, can be time consuming and difficult. But as in all contracts, the objective is to record the intent of the parties so that their agreement will be given legal effect under Virginia law.