Can I write a legally binding contract?

[Alabaster]

I live in New Jersey and am sixteen years old, to be seventeen in December of this year. I am possibly about to enter an online business partnership with someone and I want to write a contract with some terms and conditions of our previously made agreement.

The agreement is: I provide something for the other person, who then sells said something online. I am to get a percentage of the profit gained from selling my something.
Assume that the something to which I refer is legally allowed to be sold online in the USA, as well as most other countries, and is my intellectual and physical property. (I made it, and the idea for it from scratch)


Can I legally, in my state, write said contract and have the other person sign it and return it to me? Would it hold up in court if the need arises?

If not, could my parent/legal guardian write it up on my behalf? What could I do to make it legal?

 

[army judge]

I live in New Jersey and am sixteen years old, to be seventeen in December of this year. I am possibly about to enter an online business partnership with someone and I want to write a contract with some terms and conditions of our previously made agreement.

The agreement is: I provide something for the other person, who then sells said something online. I am to get a percentage of the profit gained from selling my something.
Assume that the something to which I refer is legally allowed to be sold online in the USA, as well as most other countries, and is my intellectual and physical property. (I made it, and the idea for it from scratch)


Can I legally, in my state, write said contract and have the other person sign it and return it to me? Would it hold up in court if the need arises?

If not, could my parent/legal guardian write it up on my behalf? What could I do to make it legal?

You are a minor, an infant, in the eyes of the law.

You are legally incapacitated because of that.

Therefore you are legally unable to contract.

Your guardian or parent can enter into a contract on your behalf.

But, that wouldn't be too smart.

If you breach the contract terms, they are potentially liable for your misdeeds, omissions, errors, or failure to perform.

 

[Alabaster]

All the terms are for things on his/her part of the deal, all I do is make the product. He/She is the one to produce and distribute it. He/She already has access to the products, but is legally unable to sell them until I give him/her direct permission.
-Something that I will only do if he/she signs the contract saying that he/she is going to pay me x amount for y reason-
There's nothing on my end to really do...

It is possible for my parent/guardian to sign me into the contract though, right? How would that be done?

 

[army judge]

All the terms are for things on his/her part of the deal, all I do is make the product. He/She is the one to produce and distribute it. He/She already has access to the products, but is legally unable to sell them until I give him/her direct permission.
-Something that I will only do if he/she signs the contract saying that he/she is going to pay me x amount for y reason-
There's nothing on my end to really do...

It is possible for my parent/guardian to sign me into the contract though, right? How would that be done?

You need to discuss this with your parent.

Explain it to them, if they are amenable, they sign the contract on your behalf.

Then you do the work, they get paid.

As a legal incompetent, you get paid whatever they desire to give you.

But, most parents do what is right.

Oh, the STUFF you make, and he'll SELL THE STUFF, the STUFF is legal to produce, sell, use, right?????

If it don't, even an adult can't enter into a contract to manufacture meth, for example; or sell "sexXxy time"!!!!

 

[Alabaster]

Oh, the STUFF you make, and he'll SELL THE STUFF, the STUFF is legal to produce, sell, use, right?????

I am a 3D modeler/designer, and someone was looking for people to help him get his printing service set up with some models he could sell. I said I would offer the use of some of mine, in return for 15-25% of the profit from sales of my models.

I own the models, as I have made them all from scratch myself, and they are licensed under creativecommons(dot)org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/
I told him I would only waive the non-commercial condition for him if he signed a contract, and I'm waiting to hear back. If he refuses, I either take my work elsewhere, or let him use my models illegally and as long as he pays me, I won't call him out on it.

If I do have my parent sign me on this, I'm not really sure what I could do to break the conditions of the contract, seeing as my input into the whole partnership is so minimal as it is. All I have to do is make things like I normally do, and if I make something he likes, give him permission to produce and sell it to whomever. I really don't care who or how he sells them, as long as it doesn't effect me negatively and he credits me for the work.


All the contract will do, is protect the things that I get in return for allowing him the use of my models:

*I get a link to where my models are being sold before you start selling them
*You must have my legal name '*****' clearly visible on every page that one of my models are on
*I will receive anywhere from 15% to 25% of the profit from the sale of my models based on the amount of work I put into them (this is done at my discretion)
*You must ask me permission for every model of mine that you want to sell (each model must be asked about separately)
*I have the ability to see when a model of mine has been sold, and at what price (including shipping)
*I have the ability to add, or make changes to these terms and conditions at any time, if you agree with the changes I propose to make (new documents will be made, signed, and returned)

These are the main things that the contract would cover, that he has already agreed to. What else should I be adding?

 

[army judge]

With some exceptions, a contract made by a minor is voidable. The minor, in other words, may avoid the legal liability under a contract. Upon reaching the age of majority, a minor may affirm or ratify the contract and therefore make it contractually binding on him. Any expression of the minor's intention to avoid the contract will accomplish avoidance.

A minor can only avoid a contract during his minority status and only for a reasonable time after he reaches the age of majority. After a reasonable period of time, the contract is deemed to be ratified and cannot be avoided.

When a minor avoids a contract, there are certain rules of law regarding the effect on any property received by the minor under the contract. If the minor still has what he received from the other party, he must return it to the other party upon seeking to avoid the contract. If he does not return the property in such a situation, he cannot avoid the contract. If the minor cannot return what he has received pursuant to the contract because it has been spent, damaged or destroyed, he still can avoid the contract. He can avoid the contract and is only required to return that part of the consideration he still has. Even if he has nothing left, or what he has is damaged property, he still can avoid the contract.

- See more at: http://contracts.uslegal.com/contract-by-a-minor/#sthash.dGbXRBun.dpuf



OP, read the information on these stes. It'll be very useful to you as you deliberate your options.




http://www.avvo.com/legal-answers/can-a-minor-in-new-jersey-sign-a-contract--1198360.html

http://statelaws.findlaw.com/new-jersey-law/new-jersey-legal-ages-laws.html

http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/lack-capacity-to-contract-32647.html

http://www.kidlaw.org/admin.asp?uri=2081&action=15&di=1100&ext=pdf&view=yes