Legal Question in Business Law in California

Re: Terminating a contract

In order to terminate a contract short of its normal expiration date, you would have to do so according to the terms of the contract itself in order to avoid potential liability for breach.

If there is no termination or expiration provision in a service contract, the court may find an implied 'reasonable notice' term, especially if the contract is oral rather than written. What constitutes reasonable notice will depend on the facts of the situation, including the custom in that trade, time required for clients to find other service providers, etc.

There may be statutory notice provisions affecting certain services or occupations tucked away in the Business & Professions Code, the Insurance Code, or elsewhere. It would be helpful to know more particulars including the trade or service involved here.