Verification is a formal statement that confirms the truth of information in a legal document. The person making it signs under oath or under penalty of perjury. Depending on the document, the statement may distinguish facts the signer personally knows from matters they believe are true based on other information.

In California Family Law

You will encounter similar truthfulness statements when signing court forms and declarations about your finances, children, or other facts in the case. Signing is more than confirming that you received or read the document. You are taking responsibility for the factual statements it contains.

For example, a parent describing a missed custody exchange in a declaration should check the date and describe what they actually saw or did before signing. The other parent can still dispute that account. A statement made under penalty of perjury is not automatically accepted as true, and signing does not remove the rules about what evidence the court may consider.

Code of Civil Procedure § 446 addresses verification of pleadings. The required wording and who may sign depend on the document and applicable rules. Review the complete document, including any attachments covered by the declaration, before signing.