Attorn

Attum. [L. Lat. attornars, aiturruire; from Fr. attomer, to turn over, or transfer; or tourner, to turn or exchange, to give one thing in place of another.] In feudal law. To transfer or turn over to another. Where a lord aliened his seigniory, he might, with the consent of the tenant, and in some cases without, (yelit nolit) attorn or transfer the homage and service of the latter to the alienee or new lord. Bract fol.

81 b, 82.

In such case he was sometimes said to attorn or transfer the tenant himself {attornare tenentem), and the tenant was said to be attorned, {attomari, attomabitur.) Id. ibid. Id. fol.

169.

To consent to a transfer; to transfer one's self, or one's services. — Where a tenant consented to the grant or transfer of the seigniory, he was said to attorn (properly, to attorn himself) to the grantee; that is, to transfer his services to him, and agree to become his tenant. 2 BL Com. 288. " Sir, I attorn to you by force of the said grant," was the form of words by which this consent was usually expressed. Litt. sect.

551, 153, 554.

This is the origin of the modem practice of attornment, (q. v.) See iiifra. In modem law. To consent to the transfer of artnt or reversion. A tenant is said 15 to attorn, when he agrees to become the te« nant of the person to whom the reversion has been granted. See Attornment. In old practice. To put in one's place; to substitute; to appoint an attorney.

See Attornare.