Legal Definitions - presents

Definition: Presents refers to the instrument or document that is being considered. It is an archaic term that is usually used in the phrase "these presents".

Example: "Know all men by these presents" is a phrase that was traditionally used to begin legal documents such as bonds and powers of attorney.

This phrase is a loan translation from the Latin "noverint universi per praesentes". It means "take note" and is used to draw attention to the document being presented.

While this phrase was commonly used in the past, it is now considered outdated and unnecessary in modern drafting style. Therefore, it is generally not used in legal documents anymore.

Example: A modern version of the phrase "know all men by these presents" would be "take notice of this document".

These examples illustrate how the term "presents" is used in legal documents and how the phrase "these presents" was traditionally used to draw attention to the document being presented.