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Affirmation

Phonetics: af·fir·ma·tion    \ˌa-fər-'mā-shən\

Function: noun

The person making an affirmation is known as an affiant. An Affirmation is an alternative to taking an Oath and doesn't include a reference to God. Many states have combined the notary acts of Oaths and Affirmations into one official act where the verbiage is flexible to include one variation that has a reference to God and one that includes the term, "Affirm", and no reference to God.

It should be noted, that during an affirmation, the affiant should ideally raise their right hand before they make their affirmation. Affiants typically do not know the proper procedure, or often don't take the formality seriously. It is a crime to lie to a public official, and a notary public, is an official position designated by the state where the notary resides or works.

Definition 1:
A solemn statement, equivalent by law to an oath, but without religious significance or reference to a Supreme Being. Wording for Oaths and Affirmations is up to the notary, but common wording could be, "Do you solemnly affirm that the contents of this document are true and correct to the best of your knowledge?", and the answer could be, "Yes, I do". An affirmation is a formal oath, so acceptable answers should not include head nodding or unintelligible grunts. Answers to an affirmation should be coherent and definitive.

Definition 2:
The notary acts of Oaths and Affirmations have been merged in many states these two acts into one due to the fact that so many individuals complained that it violated their religious principles to swear under oath.

Thesaurus / Related Terms
Affiant
Oath
Acknowledgment
Jurat
Protest