amendament

Amendament is a modification or addition proposed to a legal document, such as a bill, statute, constitution, contract, or regulation. In English the form is amendment; in several languages the equivalent term is amendament. Amendments are used to clarify language, correct errors, reflect new information, or alter the policy or legal effect of the text. They may be proposed during drafting or after enactment and are adopted, revised, or rejected through formal procedures.

Amendments are common in constitutional, statutory, and private-law contexts. Constitutional amendments modify the supreme legal framework and often require special rules, such as supermajorities, referendums, or ratification by regional authorities. Statutory amendments adjust ordinary laws and may follow standard legislative processes. In private law, amendments to contracts, corporate charters, or bylaws allow parties to revise terms without rewriting the entire document.

Procedures for approving an amendament vary by jurisdiction. Typically a proposal is introduced, debated, and voted on, with committees shaping the outcome. Some systems require public consultation, citizen initiatives, or executive assent. An instructive example is the United States, where constitutional amendments must be proposed by two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratified by three-fourths of the states.