A simple jurat contains a proclamation from a notary public that he or she witnessed the official signing of a document stating that it was signed in front of a notary public. The notary public notes the date and location of the signature, and signs the document or affixes a California state approved seal. A Notary Public will verify proper identification prior to affixing a jurat to a document indicating that it was notarized in the presence of a certified notary public.
A jurat cannot be affixed to a document mailed or otherwise delivered to an notary public whereby the signer did not personally appear, take an oath, and sign in the presence of the notary public, even if the signer is known by the notary public. Furthermore, a notary public’s signature and seal cannot be placed on a document until it has the proper notary wording.
In the jurat, the notary public certifies:
That the signer personally appeared before the notary public on the date indicated and in the county indicated; That the signer signed the document in the presence of the notary public; The official affirmation or oath was administered to the signer prior to signing.
Any jurat taken within California shall be in the following form:
State of California County of Los Angeles Subscribed and sworn to (or affirmed) before me on this (blank) day of (blank), 20 (blank), by (blank), proved to me on the basis of satisfactory evidence to be the person(s) who appeared before me.
(Notary Public Signature) (Notary Public Seal)
Jurats are placed on documents like sworn affidavits or agreements that were made in court before magistrates or officers. The certification allows evidence to be brought in when a witness cannot attend court, and certified documents can be used as individual evidence. In contract disputes, a jurat showing both parties signed the contract in the presence of a lawyer can be used to prove that both parties were conscious of their rights and responsibilities under the provisions of the agreed contract.
