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CS Professional · Drafting, Pleadings and Appearances · General Principles of Drafting

Meera, a company secretary, drafts a supply agreement for Kaveri Foods Pvt Ltd. The draft says the buyer will pay 'within a reasonable time' after delivery and does not name any number of days. The client later disputes when payment fell due. Which drafting error does this best illustrate?

The error is vagueness. 'Within a reasonable time' gives no certain due date, so the parties can argue over when payment was due. A careful draft states a definite number of days from a clear trigger event, such as delivery, to avoid ambiguity and later disputes.

  1. AVagueness caused by an imprecise term where a definite period was neededCorrect
  2. BExcessive use of defined terms
  3. CUse of the active voice instead of the passive voice
  4. DRepetition of a clause in the schedule

Explanation

A phrase like 'reasonable time' leaves the due date open to interpretation and invites disputes. Good drafting fixes a specific period, for example thirty days from the date of delivery. The other options are not errors that cause the dispute described.

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