First, a charter can be defined broadly as the highest law of an entity.More specifically:
- In corporate law, thearticles of incorporation.
- In public law, the instrument by which amunicipalityis incorporated (e.g., city charter).
- This type of charter includes the highest laws of the municipality and its organizational structure.
- In legislative law, a government act that establishes a publicly funded business or undertaking.
Second,in popular usage, a charter is thelease of a bus, airplane, ship, or other usually large or expensive vehicle for transportation.
- A person who signs such a lease is said tocharterthe vehicle.
- The vehicle used under this agreement is said to bechartered.
See e.g., California School Boards Ass'n v. State Board of Education 186 Cal.App.4th 1298 (2010)
[Last updated in July of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
