Documents simply signed through the course of ordinary business may still be considered contracts. Purchase orders, receipts, sales agreements and others can be held legally binding under certain circumstances. For any such agreements, it is essential that you understand your end of the bargain and the legal consequences of it. Otherwise, you could be held legally accountable for something you did not expect.

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. If so, there are still other ways you can effectively review it. An attorney in De Pere, Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin?

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 can lead to problems. In De Pere, you can find a neutral third party that is qualified to review and explain the contract. Certain fields, such as finance, may pose certain demands in contract law that can be cumbersome. But regardless of the situation, a contract under Wisconsin law is to give legal effect to the intent of the forming parties.