Legal FAQ

Generally, an offer, acceptance, something of value exchanged by each side, parties with legal capacity and a lawful purpose. Certain contracts, such as real estate sales, must also be in writing to be enforceable.

A notary public verifies the identity of the person signing, confirms they are signing willingly, and records the signing with a seal and signature. A notary does not check whether the document is legally correct.

A witness watches you sign and signs to confirm it. A notary is a state-commissioned official who verifies identity and certifies the signature. Some documents need witnesses, some need a notary, and some, like many wills with self-proving affidavits, need both.

For most contracts, yes. Federal and state laws generally treat electronic signatures like handwritten ones. Wills, some real estate filings and notarized documents can have special rules.

Many contracts work across states, but documents governed by state law, such as leases, deeds, wills and powers of attorney, should follow the law of the relevant state. A document valid where it was signed is often recognized elsewhere, but not always.

State intestacy laws decide who inherits, usually your spouse and close relatives in a fixed order, and a court appoints someone to manage your estate and, if needed, a guardian for your children.

Keep important documents such as wills, deeds and powers of attorney indefinitely. Keep contracts at least until they end plus the time in which a claim could be brought, which varies by state and type of claim, often several years.

Yes, if all parties agree. Changes should be made in writing, usually with an amendment or addendum signed by everyone who signed the original.