A contract in Washington is an agreement made by parties that intend their agreement to have legal effect. As long as parties to a contract have the same understanding about the contractual terms, the contract may either be written or entirely oral. Most businesses want to solidify their agreements in writing so that they can rely on them in the future. Since many legal principles may be involved, drafting a contract works best when done with as much knowledge of the law as possible.

Negotiating a Contract in Mill Creek

There is more to a contract than what is required for it to be valid in Mill Creek. The individual terms of the contract should all be discussed separately so that the intent of each party is understood by the other. The terms of the contract may be determined based on clear expectations if both parties are forthright about their intentions early on. Also, parties may want to discuss whether they need a provision for resolving any disputes under the contract.

Using a Form Contract

Many Mill Creek, Washington Attorneys use form contracts as a template for any new agreement. The attorney will add or remove contract provisions that the parties want, plus modify the specific language of the form contract to meet the parties' needs. This usually saves all parties time and money. There are risks to using a contract that neither party has written, especially if you proceed without the help of an attorney. First, using a form contract makes it more likely that one of the parties will not have understood the terms. This can lead to them being unaware of their duties 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 term they don't really understand. Whether you negotiate or use a form, an attorney can help ensure that the written contract matches your intent. Many Attorneys in Mill Creek are experts in Washington contract law.