The Law Dictionary

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AGREEMENT Definition & Legal Meaning

Definition & Citations:

A concord of understanding and intention, between two or more parties, with respect to the effect upon their relative rights and duties, of certain past or future facts or performances. The act of two or more persons, who unite in expressing a mutual and common purpose, with the view of altering their rights and obligations. A coming together of parties in opinion or determination; the union of two or more minds in a thing done or to be done; a mutual assent to do a thing. Com. Dig. “Agreement,” A 1. The consent of two or more persons concurring, the one in parting with, the other in receiving, some property, right, or benefit. Bac. Abr. A promise, or undertaking. This is a loose and incorrect sense of the word. Wain v. Warlters. 5 East. 11. The writing or instrument which is evidence of an agreement. Classification. Agreements are of the following several descriptions, viz.: Conditional agreements, the operation and effect of which depend upon the existence of a supposed state of facts, or the performance of a condition, or the happening of a contingency. Executed agreements, which have reference to past events, or which are at once closed and where nothing further remains to be done by the parties. Executory agreements are such as are to be performed in the future. They are commonly preliminary to other more formal or important contracts or deeds, and are usually evidenced by memoranda, parol promises, etc. Express agreements are those in which the terms and stipulations are specifically declared and avowed by the parties at the time of making the agreement.

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