The Jurisprudence of Paper Clips
19 Green Bag 2d 249 (2016)
7 Pages Posted: 16 Jun 2016 Last revised: 3 Jun 2018
Date Written: June 14, 2016
Abstract
To transfer rights in a check or promissory note, the holder may sign (or "indorse") the document. If there is no space for another signature, one may use an "allonge" -- a second piece of paper that is "attached" to the first piece. 33 years ago, the author surveyed the court cases that considered how firmly the pieces of paper must be attached to each other -- requiring judges to evaluate paper clips, staples and other instances of humble technology. His decades-old draft article is newly published, both for its content and as a spur to other authors to unearth and reveal their own incomplete efforts.
Keywords: allonge, negotiable instruments, legal scholarship
JEL Classification: G21, K12
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation