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Home » Law Dictionary » L » LITERAL

LITERAL

TheLaw.com Law Dictionary & Black's Law Dictionary 2nd Ed.

According to language; following expression in words. A literal construction of a document adheres closely to its words, without making differences for extrinsic circumstances; a literal performance of a condition is one which complies exactly with its terms. Literal contract. In Roman law. A species of written contract, in which the formal act by which an obligation was superinduced on the convention was an entry of the sum due, where it should be specifically ascertained, on the debit side of a ledger. Maine, Anc. Law, 320. A contract, the whole of the evidence or which is reduced to writing, and binds the party who subscribed it, although he has received no consideration. Lee. El. Dr. Rom.

Related Legal Terms & Definitions
  • LITERAL CONTRACT civil law. A contract, the whole of the evidence of which is reduced to writing.…
  • LITERAL CONSTRUCTION The interpretation of a document, law or statute based upon the strict and plain meaning…
  • CONSTRUCTION practice. It is defined by Mr. Powell to be "the drawing in inference by the…
  • PLAIN LANGUAGE The simple, literal meaning of words without resorting to additional explanations. The meaning of words…
  • FOUR CORNERS Phrase usually used is within the four corners of the document, which refers to the…
  • PLAIN MEANING RULE Where the meaning of the literal words in a document are clear, unambiguous and unchallengeable…
  • EXTRINSIC EVIDENCE External evidence, or that which is not contained in the body of an agreement, contract,…
  • WRITTEN CONTRACT A contract whose terms have been reduced to a writing or tangible form, as opposed…

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