Deed poll (in the context of contracts)
A deed poll is a unilateral deed, binding only to one person or several people acting jointly in the same interest, to express a binding, active intention. Examples of a deed poll include a bond, a power of attorney, and a will, as they are made by grantor alone. The term ‘deed poll’ is derived from the archaic practice of ‘polling’ (shaving) the parchment the deed was written on, so that it would be even at the top, unlike a contract.