four corners

four corners. The face of a written instrument. • The phrase derives from the ancient custom of putting all instruments (such as contracts) on a single sheet of parchment, as opposed to multiple pages, no matter how long the sheet might be. At common law, this custom prevented people from fraudulently inserting materials into a fully signed agreement. The requirement was that every contract could have only four corners. [Cases: Contracts 143(1), 147(2); Evidence 397, 448. C.J.S. Contracts §§ 302–303, 309–313; Evidence §§ 1159, 1165, 1189, 1214–1215, 1217, 1220–1221, 1228, 1286–1288, 1291.]

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词条贡献者

译者崇载，国际名校知识产权法专业，擅长翻译各种与知识产权相关的法律文件。