Documents simply signed through the course of usual 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 necessary 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. Luckily, there are other way to make sure the contract is correct. An attorney in Stoughton, 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. Given that your understanding of the contract is what matters, problems might result if you rely exclusively on the other party's representation of the contract terms. There are third parties in Stoughton who are qualified to review and explain contracts. Regardless of how complicated the negotiations in a particular field may be, giving the intent of the parties legal effect is the objective of all contracts under Wisconsin law.