Legal Definitions - antigraph

Antigraph

An antigraph is an archaic legal term referring to a copy or duplicate of an official document or legal instrument. It signifies a document that mirrors the original, serving as a counterpart for record-keeping or distribution.

Here are some examples to illustrate this term:

• Imagine a landlord and a tenant signing a new apartment lease. After both parties sign the original document, the landlord makes a photocopy for the tenant to keep. In this scenario, the tenant's photocopy of the lease agreement would be considered an antigraph, as it is a direct copy of the original legal instrument.

• Consider a situation where a person creates a Last Will and Testament. Once the original will is properly executed and witnessed, their attorney might provide them with a certified copy to keep in their personal records, while the original is stored in a secure location. This certified copy, identical in content to the original will, serves as an antigraph.

• When a business enters into a significant contract with another company, such as an agreement for services, both parties typically receive a signed duplicate of the contract. Each company's duplicate copy, which is an exact replica of the agreement signed by all parties, would be an antigraph of the original contractual instrument.