Are Email and Fax Contracts Legally Binding?
Following this definition, any agreement you make whatsoever is legally binding, whether by fax or by email or on voice mail. Knowing this, if you agree to do something in an email, you are legally bound to comply. Obviously, the legal implications of an email or fax contract will be different depending on a situation. If you email a friend and tell him help him with his homework in exchange for guitar lessons, you probably aren’t going to wind up in court if your schedule doesn’t allow for tutoring after all. The point, however, is that we must be intelligent about professional correspondence. If you’re asked to agree to something in an e-mail or a fax, know that it might be legally binding and respectfully decline. Wait until you have all the facts to decide exactly how to proceed, then request a formal document laying out your agreement step-by-step. Since a contract doesn’t have to be a document drafted by an attorney, or contain legal jargon of any kind, it is easy to get wrangled
