Merger Doctrine

The Merger Doctrine refers to a legal principle where an agreement's terms become part of a final written contract, eliminating any previous negotiations or discussions. Once a contract is fully executed, prior informal agreements or oral statements that may contradict it cannot be used in disputes. Essentially, it means that the written contract is the sole source of the parties' rights and obligations. This doctrine helps protect the integrity of contracts by ensuring that only what is explicitly included in the final agreement is considered legally binding.