Redlines Legal Definition

A redline is a legal term used to describe a proposed change or addition to a contract that a party wishes to have included in the final version of the contract. Redlines are typically marked in red ink so that they are easily identifiable.

When parties are negotiating a contract, they will often exchange draft versions of the document with each other, each containing their own proposed changes and additions. These drafts are then referred to as ‘redlines.’ The process of going through each party’s redlines and coming to an agreement on which changes will be made to the final contract is called ‘contract negotiation.’

Once all parties have agreed on the final version of the contract, the document is then signed and becomes binding. Any changes that were not agreed upon during negotiation will not be included in the final contract.