In plain English
This is the opening part of a contract. It gives the background to the agreement and states its purpose before the main clauses.
In context
Here, “recitals” means the introductory background-and-purpose section that comes before the main numbered clauses.
- Situation
- Reading agreement sections, parties, dates, signatures, and execution status
- What it communicates
- labels the introductory background section before the main numbered clauses.
Meaning limits
The term itself does not tell you the agreement’s specific operative obligations.
Examples
“The lawyer rewrote the recitals to explain the sale's background and purpose, leaving the delivery duties to later clauses.”
“Add the parties' earlier dealings to the recitals, and put the pricing terms in the numbered clauses.”