Congratulations! You reached some deal, and now you need a contract. I’m sure you thought about contacting an attorney, and then you thought about the dollar signs attached to that call. Maybe the next thought is that you’ve seen a similar contract for another project or online contract that would seem to do the trick of contract drafting.

Entering into a contract is no time to recycle. You want to communicate clear expectations and obligations. You may believe the contract says one thing when, in reality, it says something else, or the contract could be ambiguous altogether. Contract ambiguity is a certain way to have a dispute.

Each party hopes for a contract with plain language, language that is easy to discern the meaning and does not cause a dispute. However, attorneys are prone to write in contract prose with ornate, confusing language. As for ambiguity, contract prose can create double meaning. Without a natural eye for this type of issue spotting, ambiguity can abound. Consider ambiguities related to words with multiple meanings, references to varying points in time, confusion as to syntax, lack of specificity, mistaken facts, or vagueness.

When a deal goes south, absurd results can arise out of contract ambiguity. Parties have filed lawsuits over the meaning of “chicken” and the failure to use an Oxford comma. Do not let simple drafting mistakes become a lawyer’s playground. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. A keen attorney can save you the headache and thousands of dollars in legal fees and court costs.

Staying out of court is the key to saving time and money in dispute resolution. Effective contract drafting could be the key. Contact us or call 864-804-6330 to speak with an attorney. Tune in next week to discover more about potential contract flaws.