Contracts provide a crucial service to businesses across the state. Without them, you could not protect your assets and business in the event that a new partnership or employee goes south.
Though contract disputes sometimes happen even despite our best efforts, it is possible to nip them in the bud with the right proactive stances. This can help you avoid losing time and resources, or even your entire business, to a nasty contract dispute.
Clear up muddy statements
Inc.com discusses ways to stop contract disputes before they start. First: provide as much clarity as possible and eliminate any vague statements. Language that leaves things open to interpretation also leaves them open to grounds of another party questioning their validity. Let everyone know from the get-go exactly what they get into when they sign that contract so they understand what to expect.
Use a notary
Next, use a notary. Notaries certify the validity of documents that they sign. Having a notary present when you sign documents helps eliminate the possibility of parties not reading the document thoroughly, or claiming they never actually signed anything.
Get the proper signatures
Finally, ensure that all of the proper parties sign the contract. In some cases, disputes may arise because a party that signed the contract did not actually have the power to do so. This can essentially invalidate the contract and put everyone else involved in the situation in jeopardy.
If you take these steps to help ensure your contract’s validity, you can potentially swerve and avoid most of the major sources of conflict that parties face when dealing with contract disputes.
