More on the Concept “The Interpretation of a Contract”

Introduction: the official interpretation of legal norms is one of the elements that support the functioning of the mechanism of the legal regulation of public relations. In the vast majority of cases, it is implemented in relation to the norms of law, but its role is not limited to this area alone. The official interpretation of contracts has an independent significance in law, which, due to its lack of study, requires increased attention. Purpose: to find the truth in the matter of establishing the definition of “the interpretation of the contract,” an attempt to develop the author’s definition of this concept. Methods: the methodological framework for the research is a set of methods of scientific knowledge, including consistency, analysis, comparative law, and formal legal. Results: the author’s position, substantiated in the work, on the characteristics of the concept of “the interpretation of a contract,” is based on the work of scientists, the provisions of current legislation, the interpretative acts of judicial authorities of the Russian Federation, and the results of law enforcement practice. Conclusions: as a result of the conducted research, it is established that the interpretation of a contract should be understood as a set of actions related to a legal dispute, committed by a court in connection with the revealed ambiguity in the content of the expressed and implied terms of the contract, aimed at establishing their meaning, in order to eliminate the identified uncertainty and ensure the possibility of its full implementation by the parties. The proposed wording is derived based on the analysis of individual features characterizing the process of disclosure of the meaning of a contract. In turn, the interpretation of a contract is a state guarantee aimed at the effective implementation of contractual relations in society.