noun
instrument
A formal document with legal effect.
The attorney reviews the instrument before her client signs it.
Etymology
The Latin ancestor could name equipment or a means of accomplishing something. A legal instrument is a document that serves as the formal means of creating or recording legal effects.
More examples
- Both parties sign the instrument in front of a notary.
- The will is a legal instrument that distributes her estate.
- The court examines the original instruments to determine ownership.
Forms
instrument · instruments