What is the purpose of rectification in contract law?

Rectification in contract law serves the specific purpose of correcting clear and unambiguous errors in a written contract. When a contract does not reflect the true intention of the parties due to a mistake, such as typographical errors or misstatements, rectification allows for the modification of the contract to accurately reflect what the parties originally intended. This is critical in ensuring that the contractual obligations perform as initially agreed, preserving the integrity and purpose of the contract.

The process of rectification is particularly important in scenarios where the written document does not align with the actual agreement between the parties. Legal precedent supports that rectification can only occur if it is evident that the intended agreement differs from the transcribed version. This highlights rectification's role as a mechanism to maintain justice and fairness in contractual relationships by aligning documented agreements with the parties' true intentions.

In contrast, enforcing a contract unchanged or documenting additional terms do not address the need for correction of errors, while the termination of a contract is entirely a different legal concept unrelated to the correction of mistakes within a contract. Each of these concepts serves a different purpose under contract law, further underscoring why rectification is uniquely focused on error correction.