Legal Definitions - rasure

Rasure refers to the act of physically removing text or markings from the surface of a document, typically by scraping, shaving, or abrading, with the intent to alter or obliterate the original content. It is a specific form of alteration that involves damaging the document's surface to eliminate existing writing.

• Example 1: Altering a Will

  Imagine a scenario where, after a will has been signed, someone attempts to change who inherits a specific asset by carefully scraping off the name of the original beneficiary and writing in a different name. This act of physically removing the original name from the paper's surface, often leaving visible damage or thinning of the paper, is an example of rasure. The intent is to fraudulently alter the legal effect of the will by eliminating the original text.

• Example 2: Modifying a Property Deed

  Consider a property deed that legally transfers ownership of a parcel of land. If an individual were to use a sharp tool to abrade away part of the numerical description of the acreage—for instance, changing "100 acres" to "10 acres" by scraping off the last zero—this would constitute rasure. The physical removal of part of the original writing on the deed's surface is an attempt to change a critical legal detail about the property.

• Example 3: Changing a Check Amount

  Suppose a person receives a check for a certain amount but then uses a small, sharp object to scrape away part of the numerical value written on the check, intending to make it appear as a larger sum. For instance, altering "$100.00" to "$700.00" by scraping away the top part of the "1" to make it look like a "7." This physical removal of ink and paper fibers from the check's surface to change the monetary value is an act of rasure, often done with fraudulent intent.