{"id":11903,"date":"2018-01-06T22:03:51","date_gmt":"2018-01-06T22:03:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=11903"},"modified":"2018-06-06T15:43:22","modified_gmt":"2018-06-06T15:43:22","slug":"various-types-of-instruments-legal-documents","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/reunitethestates.org\/?page_id=11903","title":{"rendered":"legal instruments – formal documents evidencing the granting of right(s) and\/or an agreement (duties, entitlements, & liabilities):"},"content":{"rendered":"

instrument<\/span>:<\/span><\/span><\/strong>
\n (15c)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

l. A written legal document that defines rights, duties entitlements, or liabilities, such as a statute, contract, will, promissory note, or share certificate.<\/strong> \u2014 aka<\/span> legal instrument<\/strong><\/em><\/span>. [1]<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

1. A<\/span> negotiable instrument<\/a>.\u00a0 Uniform Negotiable Instruments \u00a7 2; UCC \u00a7 3-102(l)(e). <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A<\/span> negotiable instrument<\/a> or a<\/span> security<\/a> or any other writing evidencing a right to the payment of money, and of a type transferred in the ordinary course of business by delivery with any necessary indorsement or assignment. UCC \u00a7 9-105(l)(g). <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

A writing or document, such as a contract deed or<\/span> mortgage<\/a>. Cardenas v Miller<\/em>, 108 Cal 250, 39 P 783, 41 P 472<\/span>. Compare<\/span> Nash v Rehmann Bros. (CA<\/span>8 Iowa) 53 F2d 624<\/span> (holding that the bilateral nature of a contract may preclude it from falling within the meaning of the term \u201cinstrument\u201d).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

In a very broad sense, things animate and inanimate, even witnesses presented to the court in the <\/span>process of producing evidence upon a trial.<\/span> Cardenas v Miller<\/em>, 108 Cal 250, 39 P 783, 41 P 472<\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

As used in an exemption statute: \u2014 a usable article <\/span><\/strong><\/span>employed as a means to effect an end.<\/span> 31 Am 12d Exemp \u00a7 53<\/span>.<\/span><\/strong>
\n See implement<\/em>; tool<\/em>. [2]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

1. A<\/span> negotiable instrument<\/a>. <\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

2. A stock certificate, bond, or similar security<\/a>. <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

3. Any writing that evidences a right to the payment of money and is not itself a security<\/span> agreement or lease. <\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

4. Any formal legal document evidencing an agreement or the granting of a right. EXAMPLES: a<\/span> contract<\/a>; a<\/span> deed<\/a>; a<\/span> mortgage<\/a>; a wi<\/span><\/span>ll<\/span><\/span><\/strong>.<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0<\/strong>[3]
\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 Excerpt from Edward Beal’s<\/span> Cardinal Rules of Legal Interpretation<\/em><\/a> (A. E. Randall ed., 3d ed. 1924):<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201c<\/span>An \u2018instrument\u2019 seems to embrace contracts, deeds statutes, wills, Orders in Council, orders, warrants schemes, letters patent, rules, regulations, byelaws whether in writing or in print, or partly in both; in fact any written or printed document that may have to be interpreted by the Courts.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/strong> [4]<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Examples of
\nVarious Types of Instruments:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

contract<\/a><\/span> – a written agreement between two or more parties creating obligations enforceable &\/or recognized at law.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

charging instrument<\/span><\/a> – any of three formal legal documents used to officially charge someone with a crime.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

deed<\/span><\/a> – a written instrument that is signed, sealed, and delivered and that conveys some interest in property.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

guaranty<\/span><\/a> – a written promise to answer for the debt, default, or miscarriage of another person, provided such person does not respond by payment or performance.<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

power of attorney<\/a><\/span> – an instrument granting someone authority to act as agent or attorney-in-fact<\/a> for the grantor, thus creating an agency relationship<\/a>. <\/span><\/strong>\u2014 aka letter of attorney<\/em><\/strong><\/span>; warrant of attorney<\/em><\/strong><\/span>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

security<\/span><\/a> – any interest or<\/span> instrument<\/a> relating to finances.<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n