Legal Definitions - pateat universis per praesentes

Pateat universis per praesentes is a Latin legal phrase that translates to "Let it be open to all by these presents" or "Let it be known to all by these presents." It is a formal opening statement historically used in legal documents, charters, and proclamations. The phrase signifies that the contents of the document are intended to be public knowledge and legally binding upon all who may be concerned or informed by it. Essentially, it serves as a declaration that the document itself is the means by which the information or decree is made universally known and effective.

Here are some examples to illustrate its application:

• Government Proclamation: Imagine a historical scenario where a monarch issues a formal proclamation declaring a new tax or a change in a significant law. The document might begin with a phrase akin to "Pateat universis per praesentes," followed by the specific details of the new decree.

  This illustrates the term because the proclamation, by its very nature, is intended to make the new law or tax known and effective for all subjects ("universis") through the document itself ("per praesentes"). It's a public declaration of a new rule or policy that everyone is expected to abide by.

• Grant of Rights or Privileges: Consider a medieval guild receiving a royal charter that grants them exclusive rights to practice a certain trade within a city. Such a charter, establishing significant legal privileges, would likely open with "Pateat universis per praesentes."

  Here, the phrase would signify that the establishment of the guild, its legal status, and the exclusive rights granted to it are to be universally acknowledged and upheld by all citizens, merchants, and authorities ("universis"), with the charter document itself ("per praesentes") serving as the definitive proof and public declaration of these facts.

• Public Notice of Land Sale: In earlier legal systems, when a significant piece of communal land or property with public access was being sold or transferred, the official document recording the transaction might begin with this phrase. This would be particularly true if the sale affected public rights of way or common resources.

  The use of "Pateat universis per praesentes" in this context would mean that the change in land ownership and any associated implications for public access or use are to be recognized and respected by everyone ("universis"), not just the parties directly involved, and that the deed or notice itself ("per praesentes") serves as the official record and public announcement of this change.