“A dispute over interpretation is not a way to correct mistakes when concluding a contract” — Tatiana Tereshchenko for Zakon.ru
The application of article 431 of the Russian Federation Civil Code involves many practical nuances. In particular, argumentation is extremely important in disputes over the interpretation of contract terms. A dispute over interpretation should not be turned into a way to correct one's own mistakes made during the conclusion of the contract due to carelessness or ignorance, or other omissions or loss of interest in the contract on the agreed terms.
In particular, the court may deviate from the literal text of a contract term only if it is unclear (two or more equivalent values are allowed, or it is impossible to identify the content in general). Moreover, the ambiguity of the condition must be both in itself and preserved as a result of comparison with other conditions and the meaning of the contract (paragraph 1 of article 431).
It is extremely important to see the boundaries of the condition, given that it can be contained in several sentences, clauses, and terms of the contract. Understanding exactly what a potentially controversial condition is helps prevent a false interpretation dispute from occurring.