Ace the Contracts & Sales Bar Challenge 2026 – Seal the Deal with Style!

The signature requirements under the Statute of Frauds are designed to ensure that a contract is enforceable only if it is signed by the party against whom enforcement is sought. This means that if one party wants to enforce a contract, that party must have a signature from the other party on that contract, evidencing their assent to the terms. This safeguards against fraudulent claims and misunderstandings by providing a clear, tangible form of consent.

The rationale behind this requirement is to protect parties from entering into binding agreements without their explicit agreement reflected in writing. This is particularly important for certain types of contracts—such as those involving the sale of real estate or agreements that cannot be completed within one year—that the law stipulates must be in writing to be enforceable.

In contrast, other options lack the core principle underlying the Statute of Frauds. The first option suggests that all parties must pre-sign a contract, which misrepresents the flexibility of signature timing. The third option implies that verbal agreements can be valid if documented, which undermines the statute's purpose of requiring specific formalities. Lastly, the fourth option regarding the necessity of witness signatures does not accurately reflect the actual signature requirements outlined in the Statute of Frauds, which focus primarily on the parties