What does the court usually assume about a contract signed by a party?

When a party signs a contract, the court typically assumes that the party understood the terms and implications of the contract. This principle is grounded in the notion of personal responsibility in contractual agreements. It reflects the idea that individuals are expected to read and comprehend the documents they sign. Therefore, if a dispute arises, the court will generally proceed with the presumption that the signatory had the opportunity to review the contract's content and fully understood their rights and obligations under that agreement.

This assumption also serves to uphold the integrity of contractual agreements, encouraging parties to be diligent in their dealings and to ensure they enter into contracts with a clear understanding of what they are agreeing to. Consequently, a party cannot typically claim ignorance of the contract's terms after they have signed it, except in very limited circumstances where factors like fraud, misrepresentation, or undue influence are present.