Legal Definitions - attest

To attest means to formally declare or confirm that something is true, genuine, or that an event has occurred as specified. This often involves providing a signature as a witness or certifier, indicating that you have personally observed an action or verified the accuracy of a document.

Here are some examples of how "attest" is used:

• Notarizing a Document: Imagine someone needs to sign an affidavit, which is a sworn written statement, for a legal proceeding. They take the document to a notary public.

  The notary public will ask for identification, observe the person signing the affidavit, and then sign and stamp the document themselves. By doing so, the notary attests that the person who signed the affidavit is indeed the individual they claim to be and that they signed it in the notary's presence.

• Auditing Financial Statements: A large corporation prepares its annual financial report for its shareholders and regulatory bodies.

  An independent accounting firm is hired to review the company's financial records, transactions, and internal controls. After a thorough examination, the auditors issue a report stating that the financial statements are presented fairly in all material respects. This audit report effectively attests to the reliability and accuracy of the company's financial information for investors and regulators.

• Witnessing a Power of Attorney: An elderly individual wants to grant their adult child the legal authority to make financial decisions on their behalf through a document called a Power of Attorney.

  Often, the law requires that such a document be signed in the presence of one or more witnesses. A neutral third party observes the elderly individual signing the Power of Attorney and then adds their own signature to the document. By signing, the witness attests that they personally saw the individual execute the document, confirming the authenticity of their signature and the act of signing.