Artificial person

"Artificial person" is a term used to distinguish those entities that have legal rights, such as corporations, from "real people", who are referred to as natural persons.
In statutory interpretation and contractual interpretation, when the word "person" is used it means both artifical persons and natural persons unless such an interpretation would be absurd. As such, if a statute or regulation wishes to make it clear that only "real people" may benefit, it must use the term "natural person".
Category:Legal terms