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 Normandy Park

There is more to a contract than what is required for it to be valid in Normandy Park. 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

If an agreement needs a good starting point, you may want to consider a form contract. An attorney in Normandy Park,Washington can add or remove provisions according to the intent of the parties, and even the specific language can be made more comprehensible so that expectations are clear. If the parties attempt to use a form contract without an attorney's help, there may be risks. First, parties are less likely to read form contracts thoroughly, which may lead to one side being unaware of their duties under the contract. Second, form contracts will often contain language that is difficult to understand outside the legal community. This can cause disagreement over the meaning of a term. Attorneys can help ensure that a written contract matches the intent of the parties, whether negotiating a contract or using a form. Washington contract law is a field in which many Normandy Park Attorneys have specialized.