Cal. Civil Code § 1640 : Interpretation Of Contracts — California Civil Code — Obligations — Real intention not expressed Date: 14 Sep 2016 TEXT PDF Current through the 2016 Legislative Session When, through fraud, mistake, or accident, a written contract fails to express the real intention of the parties, such intention is to be regarded, and the erroneous parts of the writing disregarded. Ca. Civ. Code § 1640