Legal Term: DEED POLL

Definition: contracts. A deed made by one party only is not indented, but polled or shaved quite even, and is, for this reason, called a deed poll, or single deed. Co. Litt. 299, a. 2. A deed poll is not, strictly speaking, an agreement between two persons, but a declaration of some one particular person, respecting an agreement made by him with some other person. For example, a feoffment from A to B by deed poll, is not an agreement between A and B, but rather a declaration by A addressed to all mankind, informing them that he thereby gives and enfeoffs B of certain land therein described. 3. It was formerly called charta de una parte, and, usually began with these words, Sciant praesentes et futuri quod ego A, &c., and now begins, "Know all men by these presents, that I, A B, have given, granted, and enfeoffed, and by these presents do give, grant and enfeoff," &c. Cruise, Real Prop. tit. 32, c. 1, s. 23.

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