Check out the thread of the year, all about contracts with a free sample one:

http://www.talkfreelance.com/showthr...5&page=1&pp=10

I mail the contracts out, if it is needed in a hurry I either e-mail it to the client or fax it and they fax it returned with their signature. The crucial thing here is to get a signature in at least an electronic format, faxed format is fine.