Guarantee Pass
Affiant: - Answer- The person who subscribes his signature to an affidavit. The person
to whom an oath or affirmation is administered.
Affidavit: - Answer- A written declaration made under oath or affirmation before a notary
public or other authorized officer, in which the signer swears or affirms that the
statements or
declarations in the document are true.
Affirmation: - Answer- A solemn declaration that the information contained in the
document is true and accurate, made by persons who decline taking an oath for
religious or conscientious reasons. An affirmation is equivalent to an oath and is just as
binding.
Apostille: - Answer- Apostille (pronounced ah-po-stee) is a French word which means a
certification. In notarial usage, it refers to a certificate used to authenticate the signature
of a notary public and other public officers, placed on documents that are to be sent
overseas. The Apostille certifies that the notary's commission is current and the notary
is in good standing, and it is signed by the Secretary of State. This type of
authentication is accepted for legal use in all the nations that are members of the Hague
Convention of October 5, 1961.
Authentication: . - Answer- This term refers to either an Apostille or a Certificate of
Magistracy.
Certificate of Magistracy: - Answer- A certificate used to authenticate the signature of a
notary public, placed on documents that are to be sent ove
Certified Copy: - Answer- A document that is signed by a public official as a true copy of
the original document that is held in the office of the public official, or a copy of the
original which is certified to be a true copy by a notary public. Certified copies of some
documents can only be obtained from the office of the public official in which the
original is held. Examples include birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage
certificates. Colorado notaries cannot certify copies of these documents.
Credible Witness: - Answer- A person who is personally known to the notary and who
swears or affirms to the identity of another person, unknown to the notary, who is
signing and attesting to a document.
Competence: - Answer- The mental ability to distinguish right from wrong and to
manage one's own affairs. A notary should be certain that all parties understand what
they are signing and swearing or affirming to.