answersLogoWhite

0

In a legal document, a preamble is a statement or series of statements at the beginning of the document explaining what the document is about and why it was made. Preambles are particularly helpful in contracts, whether they are brief and to the point ("This contract between John Smith and Mary Hughes is made July 9th, 1994") or long-winded and full of legal words like "whereas" ("Whereas the party of the first part is the owner of those lands and premises . . .")

Preambles can also be found in documents of incorporation, corporate by-laws, municipal by-laws, statutes at all levels of government, and constitutional documents. In these latter the sense of self-importance of those drafting them tends to result in preambles which are portentous and bombastic.

User Avatar

Wiki User

12y ago

What else can I help you with?