Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A clause attached to an affidavit, in which a notary or legally authorized officer attests to the fact that the affidavit was made under oath.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In law, the official memorandum subscribed at the end of an affidavit, showing the time when and the person before whom it was sworn.
  • noun A sworn officer; a magistrate; a member of a permanent jury.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun A person under oath; specifically, an officer of the nature of an alderman, in certain municipal corporations in England.
  • noun (Law) The memorandum or certificate at the end of an asffidavit, or a bill or answer in chancery, showing when, before whom, and (in English practice), where, it was sworn or affirmed.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun law The written statement by a notary public that he or she has administered and witnessed an oath or affirmation.
  • noun law The written statement of a person that he or she has declared an oath or affirmation.
  • noun A municipal official in the Cinque Ports or in certain French towns.
  • noun A life magistrate.

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English, informant under oath, member of a ruling body of a city, from Anglo-Norman, member of a ruling body of a city, from Medieval Latin iūrātus, juror, from past participle of Latin iūrāre, to swear; see jury.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old French, from Latin iurāre, present active infinitive of iūrō ("swear or take an oath").

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Examples

  • A jurat is a notary’s certification indicating that the signatory to a document (a) took an oath and (b) executed the document in the presence of the notary.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

  • The written declaration above signature line on your Federal income tax return is also referred to as a jurat:

    The Volokh Conspiracy Eugene Volokh 2010

  • A jurat is a notary’s certification indicating that the signatory to a document (a) took an oath and (b) executed the document in the presence of the notary.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

  • I reckon the ubiquity of "jurat" must vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction; it's use is quite common in Texas.

    The Volokh Conspiracy Eugene Volokh 2010

  • : Here in Georgia we also use "jurat" to refer to, e.g., the client's verification that accompanies responses to interrogatories.

    The Volokh Conspiracy Eugene Volokh 2010

  • No, actually it is that little statement used in some cases by notaries that says “the statement was sworn before me on some date in someplace” but I there should be a word for bias potential in jury selection to make it sound more scientific and I propose the jurat.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

  • Early in my practice I had to become aware of the difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat, the two things a notary will do for you.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

  • One of the first things I try to teach a new secretary is the difference between a jurat and an acknowledgment.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

  • The jurat is, indeed, the swearing clause of an affidavit.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

  • I was going to say the same as Curmudgeonly Ex-Clerk — I learned the word as a second-year law student, clerking for a firm in Urbana, Illinois; I was assigned to draft an Affidavit to accompany a Motion for Summary Judgment, and reminded to “check the form of jurat for Wisconsin, since that is where the Affiant will sign it”.

    The Volokh Conspiracy » Jurat 2010

Comments

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  • A true but a somewhat obscure fact

    Is wombats make cubes out of pure scat.

    This isn't a trick;

    They do shit a brick.

    I'll swear it and sign with a jurat.

    See also comments at scat.

    February 16, 2017