Legal Definitions - sign manual

Sign manual refers to a distinctive mark or signature used to authenticate a document or identify a person or entity. It can be understood in two main ways:

• A handwritten signature, personally affixed by an individual.
• A unique symbol or emblem that represents a person, organization, or concept, serving as an official mark of identity or approval.

Here are some examples:

• Imagine a company's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) personally signing a new contract with a major client. The CEO uses their own handwritten signature to finalize the agreement, making it legally binding.

  This illustrates a sign manual as a personal, handwritten signature, directly authenticating the document and signifying the CEO's approval and commitment on behalf of the company.

• Consider a historical monarch who, instead of writing out their full name, used a specific royal cipher—a unique combination of letters and symbols—stamped onto official decrees and state papers to signify their command.

  Here, the royal cipher functions as a sign manual in the sense of a distinctive emblem. It represents the monarch's authority and identity, serving as their official mark of approval without being a traditional handwritten signature.

• When a notary public certifies a document, they often apply an official embossed seal or a rubber stamp containing their name, commission number, and the words "Notary Public." This mark is affixed alongside their handwritten signature.

  This seal acts as a sign manual because it is a unique symbol representing the notary's office and legal authority. It authenticates the document and confirms that the required legal formalities have been observed, adding an official mark beyond just the notary's personal signature.