It depends. Lawyers love to give that vague answer, but it’s true. By law, some contracts MUST be in writing (for example, marriage and transfer of land ownership, just to name a couple). Even if it’s not required by law, I advise everyone to “Always Get It in Writing.” But if you find yourself in a handshake deal gone bad, you may still have remedies. An oral contract may be considered valid if an agreement is made to buy, sell or carry out a service as a result of verbal statements or prior agreement. But, you’ll need to prove that such contract was really made. This can be done by way of witnesses or physical evidence, such as invoices, follow-up emails etc. Disputes over oral contracts often end up in an epic “he said, she said” match. If a deal goes wrong, wouldn’t it be much easier to consult a detailed written agreement which both parties signed? No further questions.
