Endorsement
Endorsement: A signature or note added to a document. On a check or note, it is the payee's signature that transfers or deposits it, which the UCC spells "indorsement" (see Indorsement). In insurance, an endorsement is a written change added to a policy. The word also means public support for a person or product, which the FTC regulates in advertising (16 C.F.R. Part 255).
What endorsement means
In short, endorsement is a term you will meet in court papers, rules and legal research. The definition above gives its usual meaning in American civil practice. However, the exact meaning can depend on the rule, statute or court decision that uses it. So it helps to read the term in context.
Where endorsement comes up
The term is used across many kinds of cases. For example, you may see it in pleadings, motions and court orders. To see it in context, browse the motions and procedures library or the Learn the Law topics.
Read the source: Indorsement.
How to research the term
To research endorsement, begin with the rule, statute or contract where the word is used. Each one can give it a slightly different meaning. Then compare that text with how courts in your area have applied it. Also check the local rules of your court, since they can add requirements. If your case is in state court, the state rules control. So start with our state procedures guide to find them. In the end, always confirm that the source you rely on is current.
You can read the current federal court rules online for free.
Related legal terms
- Ejusdem generis: latin for "of the same kind." The canon that "where general words follow specific words in a statutory enumeration, the general words are [usually] construed to embrace only objects similar in nature to those objects enumerated by the preceding specific words" (Yates v.
- Emancipation of a minor: a court order or legal event, such as marriage or active military service, that frees a minor from parental control and gives him or her many of the legal rights of an adult before reaching the age of majority. Each state sets its own requirements.
- Emergency Banking Act: the Emergency Banking Relief Act of March 9, 1933, 48 Stat. 1, passed during the bank holiday.
- En banc: french for "on the bench." A case heard by all the active judges of a court of appeals rather than by a panel of three.
Why precise terms matter
Legal words often look like everyday words, but they can carry a precise meaning. Because of that, a small misreading can change how you understand a deadline, a duty or a right. Our glossary keeps each definition short and links it to the procedures where it matters.
Sources
Sources last reviewed: 2026-10-24
Lawtopolis provides legal information and education, not legal advice. Using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws and court rules vary by jurisdiction and change over time; verify every authority against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction about your situation.