Legal Definitions - chartis reddendis

Chartis reddendis (pronounced kahr-tis ri-den-dis) is a Latin term used in history. It refers to a writ that seeks the return of a charter of feoffment from a person who has been entrusted with the charter but has refused to deliver it as instructed. Feoffment, on the other hand, is the act of conveying a freehold estate, which is a grant of land in fee simple. It can also refer to the land that has been granted or the charter that transfers the land.

For example, if John grants land to Jane through a charter of feoffment, but Jane refuses to deliver the charter as instructed, John can seek a writ of chartis reddendis to get the charter back.

Another example is feoffment to uses, which is an enfeoffment of land to one person for the use of a third party. In this case, the feoffee (the person who receives the land) is bound in conscience to hold the land according to the prescribed use and cannot derive any benefit from the holding.

The examples illustrate how chartis reddendis and feoffment were used in history to transfer land ownership. If someone refused to deliver the charter of feoffment, the writ of chartis reddendis could be used to get it back. Feoffment to uses was a way to transfer land to a third party while ensuring that the feoffee held the land according to the prescribed use.