Breach of Contract in Washington DC
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in Washington DC in which a party sues a former or existing contracting party for that contracting party’s failure to perform certain obligations under a contract. In Washington DC, almost all breach of contract disputes will be litigated in the District of Columbia Superior Court. In Washington DC, a contract is merely an agreement that creates a legally-enforceable obligation between one or more of the parties, and in DC, a legally-enforceable contract can be either oral or written. In Washington DC, some types of contracts must be written to be enforceable. If a DC contracting party fails to fulfill one or more of its obligations, then the other contracting party may bring legal action in Washington DC courts to protect their rights under that contract/agreement.
People enter into contracts every day in Washington DC in their personal lives and in the business context. Whether signing up for a social media account or arranging for a construction contractor, individuals enter contracts on a regular basis. Contracts can be complicated and difficult to understand, and disagreements in Washington DC often result regarding the terms of a contract and the obligations of the parties. When a DC contract dispute arises — whether a dispute over the existence of a contract or a breach of contract assertion — parties often resort to a breach of contract lawsuit in DC Superior Court. And when the existence of a true contract cannot be shown, a party can often seek damages through a Washington DC cause of action called unjust enrichment.
Breach of contract disputes in Washington DC often turn on credibility and evidence. A Washington DC court’s determination of whether a party will be found liable in a breach of contract action will often turn on evidence establishing whether the contract existed or whether the contractual obligations were fulfilled. If the DC contract is oral (and the contract can be made orally), then the court will look to the intent of the parties and a reasonable interpretation of the disputed language/obligations. The DC Court of Appeals has stated that, “In construing a contract, the court must determine what a reasonable person in the position of the parties would have thought the disputed language meant.” (Unfoldment, Inc. v. District of Columbia Contract Appeals Board).
While a DC breach of contract plaintiff will generally need to show damages in order to recover in a DC breach of contract matter, the “absence of specific monetary injury does not prevent the accrual of a cause of action for breach of contract.” (Wright v. Howard University). In Washington DC, a contract action must be brought within 3 years of the date on which the right to maintain the action accrues. D.C.Code § 12–301(7) (2001).
Longman & Van Grack’s contract lawyers and commercial litigation attorneys in our Washington DC office are experienced in all types of contract disputes in Washington DC. Our firm’s DC contract dispute attorneys’ goals are to resolve your DC contract dispute quickly and efficiently. Consequently, our DC contract attorneys vigorously attempt to resolve our client’s legal contract disputes prior to an actual trial. We strongly encourage resolving all types of contract disputes through alternative dispute resolution (such as mediation and settlement) if possible. However, our DC contract attorneys and DC commercial litigation attorneys have all the necessary skills and experience to litigate breach of contract disputes at trial in Washington DC courts.
If you would like to speak to Adam Van Grack or one of out other Washington DC contract attorneys about a matter, Mr. Van Grack and our other contract lawyers and business attorneys will take time to thoroughly review your matter and the DC contract dispute at issue to determine what the respective parties’ contractual responsibilities are and if liability exists. Our Washington DC contract disputes and DC commercial litigation legal team will guide you on the best course of action for an efficient resolution. Specifically, our firm’s contract attorneys have handled Washington DC contract lawsuits in the DC Superior Court and DC Appeals Courts. Contact Mr. Van Grack or our other attorneys at (301) 291-7156 for a DC contract dispute attorney consultation today at one our Washington DC Office.
