DEED

In legal sense, a deed is a solemn document. Deed is the term normally used to describe all the instruments by which two or more persons agree to effect any right or liability.

A deed may be defined as a formal writing of a non-testamentary character which purports or operates to create, declare, confirm, assign, limit or extinguish some right, title, or interest.

Many authorities have tried to define the deed. Some definitions are very restricted in meaning while some are too extensive definitions. The most suitable and comprehensive definition has been given by Norten on 'Deeds' as follows:

A deed is a writing:

(a) on paper, vallum or parchment,
(b) sealed, and
(c) delivered, whereby an interest, right or property passes, or an obligation binding on some persons is  created or which is in affirmance of some act whereby an interest, right or property has been passed.

In Halsbury's Laws of England, a deed has been defined as "an instrument written on parchment or paper expressing the intention or consent of some person or corporation named therein to make (otherwise than by way of testamentary disposition, confirm or concur in some assurance of some interest in property or of some legal or equitable right, title or claim, or to undertake or enter into some obligation, duty or agreement enforceable at law or in equity or to do, or concur in some other act affecting the legal relations or position of a party to the instrument or of some other person or corporation, sealed with the seal of the party, so expressing such intention or consent and delivered as that party's act and deed to the person or corporation intended to the affected thereby. 

A deed is a present grant rather than a mere promise to be performed in the future.

Deeds are in writing, signed, sealed and delivered.

Deeds are instruments, but all instruments are not deeds.

To take for example Gift Deed, Sale Deed, Deed of Partition, Partnership Deed, Deed of Family Settlement, Lease Deed, Mortgage Deed and so on. Even a power of Attorney has been held in old English cases to be a deed. A bond is also included in the wide campass of the term deed.