Initials - Definition - Law Dictionary Home Dictionary Definition initials

Definition :

Initials, the first letters of names. By the (English) Civil Procedure Act, 1833 (3 & 4 Wm. 4, c. 42), s. 12, it was directed that in all actions upon bills of exchange, promissory notes, or other written instruments, any of the parties to which were designated by the initial letter or letters, or some contraction of the Christian or first name or names, it should be sufficient to designate such persons by the same initial letter or letters, instead of stating them in full.

Signature by initials is a good signature within the Statute of Frauds, Phillimore v. Barry, (1808) 1 Camp 513; a good signature of a will [In the goods of Wingrove, (1851) 15 Jur. 91; In the goods of Hinds, (1851) 16 Jur 1161]; and a good subscription as regards interlineations in a will [In the goods of Blewitt, (1880) 5 PD 116]. Under the Companies Act, 1929,

s. 145, 'initials' includes a recognised abbreviation of a Christian name.