What is required for a legal contract to be enforceable?

A legal contract must have mutual consent between the parties involved to be enforceable. This means that all parties must agree to the terms of the contract, indicating that they understand and accept the obligations and rights that the contract imposes. Mutual consent is often evidenced by an offer and acceptance, where one party proposes terms and the other party agrees to them.

While written documentation, signatures, and witnesses can enhance the enforceability of a contract and may be required for certain types of agreements, they are not universally necessary for a contract to be valid. For example, verbal agreements can be enforceable depending on the circumstances, as long as mutual consent is present. Thus, mutual consent is the fundamental element required for a contract's enforceability, as it establishes a meeting of the minds among the parties involved.