Legal documents undergo strict requirements in order to ensure they’re authentic. After all, an inauthentic legal document could undercut the entire legal proceeding. For some documents, a signature is enough to verify its authenticity, but others require a more thorough process.
Local documents
Local documents are used, as the name suggests, on the local level. These include documents such as diplomas, receipts, and business documents. They can be notarized by the county clerk of courts. After that, they’ll need to be certified by the Secretary of State of whichever state the documents were notarized in.
State documents
State documents are a step above local documents. They may include birth and death certificates, marriage licenses, divorce decrees, probate papers, wills, and more. The document must be notarized and then certified by the state’s Secretary of State, similar to local documents. Some state documents, however, might need to be stamped by the issuing court or the Bureau of Vital Statistics. All state documents must have an official seal of the state in which they were issued.
After a legal document is authenticated, it must be delivered to the proper recipient. At Reliant Court Services, our process services can do just that. Contact us today at 631-567-3120 to learn more.