Negotiable Instrument
Definition
Defined under the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 Section 13. Promissory note, bill of exchange or cheque payable to order or bearer.
- Statute (India)
- Negotiable Instruments Act 1881, Section 13
- Types
- Promissory note, bill of exchange, cheque
- Payable to
- Order or bearer
- Field
- Questioned document examination
Common questions
Why does negotiable instrument status matter in document examination?+
Forgery, alteration, or unauthorised endorsement on an instrument payable to order or bearer carries distinct legal and evidentiary consequences compared with an ordinary written contract.
Are negotiable instruments defined the same way in every jurisdiction?+
No. Definitions vary by country; the US follows Article 3 of the UCC, the UK follows the Bills of Exchange Act 1882, and India follows its own 1881 Act.
Related terms
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- Private Document
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- Public Document
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- Questioned Document (QD)
- Any document whose authenticity, source, age, sequence of preparation or content is in dispute and requires examination by a forensic expert.
- Security Feature
- Engineered element of a document (watermark, security thread, microprinting, intaglio, optically variable ink, latent image, fluorescent fibres) that frustrates forgery and supports...
- Standard or Exemplar
- A document of known origin used for comparison with a questioned document. May be requested (taken under controlled conditions) or collected (from...
- Watermark
- A pattern formed in paper during manufacture by localised fibre-density variation on the Fourdrinier wire; visible in transmitted light as a lighter...