An affidavit is a sworn written statement, made especially under affirmation or oath before an authorised officer or Magistrate. This document is essential when an authority (such as a judge, government agency, or insurance company) needs to confirm the accuracy of the information they are receiving. It must be made sure that they are written in the first person and contain facts rather than inferences.
Read on to know uses, features, example, types and purpose of an affidavit.
A person who creates an affidavit is referred to as a Deponent or an Affiant. Depending on the affidavit that needs to be attested, the person with authority to attest a certificate may be a Magistrate, who may be either a Judicial or an Executive Magistrate, a Notary Public, or a Commissioner of Oaths. Indians living abroad can take oaths before Consular officers stationed in Indian missions.
Affidavits are useful when a person is unable to appear in court in person. When someone gives testimony in person before a judge, they are under oath, which means they cannot lie. However, if they do lie, they will face penalties for what is known as perjury. If a person is unable to attend court, they can file an affidavit instead. The person will be held to the same standards as if they were testifying under oath in front of a judge.
Beyond court cases, affidavits can also be used for personal or business purposes. Affidavit examples include cases wherein one is transferring legal rights to a power of attorney, they will be required to create and sign it. Additionally, when applying for bank loans, you’ll also need to provide an affidavit confirming the accuracy of your financial situation. Affidavits can also help confirm that a future partner or investor is telling the truth about their financial capabilities in business transactions. This is a general due diligence step that every business should perform before collaborating with a new partner or investor.
Affidavits must be in writing- Because an Affidavit is used as a record in court, it must be written. This is done to hold the person who swears the affidavit accountable for the contents of the affidavit. It also discourages people from making false claims because they are treated as punishable offences.
Affidavits are crucial in court proceedings for a few types of disputes. They are most commonly used in the following scenarios:
Affidavits are sometimes voluntary, and sometimes they are required. State law governs the rules governing when affidavits are required.
An affidavit sample is shown below:
The following is a list of common affidavit types and their purposes:
An affidavit’s purpose is to formally validate a claim. In a dispute, these legal documents are used in conjunction with witness statements or other evidence. For an affidavit to be valid, the person who signs it must be personally aware of the facts contained within it and must take an oath that they are completely honest within the affidavit.
When it comes to settling a dispute, affidavits are critical pieces of information. Affidavits, when used correctly, can influence a court decision. Some affidavits, such as financial affidavits, also serve to certify facts about the lawsuit parties’ lives. Affidavits, at their core, serve to deliver certifiable facts in a way that can be reasonably guaranteed to be true.
Swearing a false affidavit can result in a charge of Perjury under the Indian Penal Code. It is a serious matter that requires immediate action. Such provisions ensure that people who lie in affidavits are aware of the consequences and are discouraged from committing such crimes.
Affidavits can help save a lot of time and money in a variety of legal situations. An attorney may be able to use an affidavit instead of requiring your physical presence in court or another legal proceeding in some cases. A simple action, such as a legal name change, will necessitate a signed affidavit from the petitioner to ensure that the request is not being made for illegal reasons or to defraud creditors. Creating an affidavit for any purpose is simple, whether you need to verify a marriage, verify the domicile of a deceased person, claim assets, or make a formal statement as a witness in court hearings.
Ans: An affidavit means or refers to a sworn written statement, made especially under affirmation or oath before an authorised officer or Magistrate. It is written testimony intended to demonstrate to a court or any other agency that certain information is true.
Ans: The following requirements are to be taken care of while creating an affidavit:
• An Affidavit can only be created by an individual and not by any artificial persons such as corporations, associations, or groups of individuals.
• An affidavit should only include facts that are true to the best of the deponent’s knowledge and belief.
• An affidavit can only be sworn before someone who has the authority to attest to it.
• Affidavits cannot be made on behalf of others. The goal is to prevent people from declaring things that are beyond their reasonable knowledge.
Ans: Following are the steps that one must follow while creating an affidavit form:
• Title – This either contains your name or specific information about your case.
• Identity Statement – The following paragraph introduces yourself to the court and provides information about your identity (age, address, etc.)
• Truth Statement – You will swear in this section that the information provided is correct and true to the best of your knowledge.
• Fact Statement – The paragraph(s) that follow will contain your factual statement. Each paragraph should only contain one fact and the details that pertain to it.
• The Final Statement of Truth – After you’ve finished stating your facts, you will swear once more that the information provided above is correct.
• Sign and Notarize – The last section contains signature lines for you, witnesses, and the notary, along with the date.
Disclaimer: Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme-related documents carefully.
This article has been prepared on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this article is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. It should not be construed as investment advice to any party. The article does not warrant the completeness or accuracy of the information, and disclaims all liabilities, losses and damages arising out of the use of this information. Readers shall be fully liable/responsible for any decision taken on the basis of this article.
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