Meeting of the minds (also known as mutual agreement, mutual assent, or mutuality) is a principle of contract law that requires the parties to mutually agree to the terms to form an enforceable contract.

Although a meeting of the minds was traditionally required under the subjective theory of assent to contract terms, today’s courts generally only require an objective manifestation of assent—meaning that if the written words of the contract have a clear, unambiguous meaning they will be enforced as written, even if one of the parties claims to have understood them differently.

In Iowa, as in other jurisdictions, the concept of 'meeting of the minds' is fundamental to contract law. It requires that all parties involved in a contract have a mutual understanding and agreement on the terms and conditions of the contract for it to be enforceable. This means that there must be a clear offer and acceptance, and the intentions of the parties must align. However, the modern approach focuses on the objective theory of assent rather than the subjective. This means that Iowa courts will look at the outward expressions of agreement (such as written contracts, actions, and statements) rather than the internal, subjective intentions of the parties. If the terms of the contract are clear and unambiguous, the courts will enforce the contract as it is written, even if a party claims a different understanding of the terms. This objective standard helps to provide certainty in contractual relationships and reduces the potential for disputes over the subjective intent of the parties.