https://rashidylaw.com/legal-services/civil-business-litigation/ Pre-Marriage, Domestic and Separation Contracts men signing a Prenuptial Agreement Toronto General Contract Rules The basic standards that apply to all contracts are that there must be an offer, consideration, and acceptance and that the contract is signed, sealed, and delivered. Valid contracts can be both oral and written; however, it is best practice to ensure that any contract you intend to be binding is written and signed by both parties, preferably with more than one witness present. We recommend that for all contracts, especially those involving family law, that each party seeks out Independent Legal Advice (ILA) prior to signing. We recommend ILA because when received, any claims made after the contract was signed in an attempt to excuse violations of the contract would be incredibly difficult to prove in a court of law as legitimate. Excuses such as that the contract was signed out of undue influence, duress, or other kinds of pressure will not be powerful legal arguments as both parties were informed of the repercussions of the contract by a legal professional prior to signing it. If you are unsure, consult experienced Toronto family lawyers to ensure your rights are protected. Premarital and Domestic Contracts Premarital Contracts, also commonly referred to as Prenuptial Agreements or “prenups” in the United States, are contracts that lay out all assets and liabilities both parties are entering into the marriage with, how said assets and liabilities are to be dealt with at the dissolution of the marriage, ownership arrangements of any assets, property, etc., throughout or after the marriage, and potential Support arrangements if the marriage dissolves. We highly recommend that any couple entering the marriage with substantial assets that may have complex ownership arrangements enter a premarital contract. This ensures a record of values at the marriage date and any agreed-upon ownership arra