Legal instrument

Not to be confused with Statutory instrument or Hybrid instrument.
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Legal instrument is a legal term of art that is used for any formally executed written document that can be formally attributed to its author,[1] records and formally expresses a legally enforceable act, process,[2] or contractual duty, obligation, or right,[3] and therefore evidences that act, process, or agreement.[4][5] Examples include a certificate, deed, bond, contract, will, legislative act, notarial act, court writ or process, or any law passed by a competent legislative body in domestic or international law. Many legal instruments were written under seal by affixing a wax or paper seal to the document in evidence of its legal execution and authenticity (which often removed the need for consideration in contract law). However, today many jurisdictions have done away with the requirement of documents being under seal in order to give them legal effect.

  1. ^ "Law Glossary", The K-Zone, s.v. "instrument", retrieved on 19 May 2009: "Sample living trust masters business at kevinboone.com". Archived from the original on 2009-07-13. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  2. ^ Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44, s.v. "instrument" Archived 2016-03-17 at the Wayback Machine retrieved on 19 May 2009
  3. ^ Instrument. Oxford University Press. Archived from the original on 14 September 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2019. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ BusinessDictionary.com, s.v. "instrument", retrieved 15 May 2009: "Instrument definition". Archived from the original on 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2009-05-19..
  5. ^ Barron's Law Dictionary, s.v. "instrument".