IMPORTANCE OF ILLITERATE JURAT IN WRITTEN AGREEMENT

IMPORTANCE OF ILLITERATE JURAT IN WRITTEN AGREEMENT

A missing clause can invalidate an otherwise valid written Agreement.

An elderly man agreed to sell his land. The price was paid, documents were signed and everyone believed the transaction was complete.

Much later, a dispute arose. The seller claimed he never understood what he thumb printed because he could not read the document.

What looked like a concluded transaction suddenly became a serious legal problem.

This is why the law requires an illiterate jurat in property and business agreements involving a non-literate person.

An illiterate jurat is a written endorsement that the document was read and explained to the illiterate person in a language he understands before he put his thumbprint in place of a signature.

Many people believe that a thumbprint alone is enough. It is not.

The law wants evidence that the person understood the nature and effect of the transaction before consenting to it.

Without a properly drafted illiterate jurat, a document may face legal challenges. A party may later argue that the agreement was not explained or that consent was not properly obtained. Such issues can threaten valuable land transactions and business arrangements.

This issue affects Nigerians at home and in the diaspora.

So involve an experienced Property and Business Lawyer from the beginning. He will ensure that every legal requirement is complied with, and that the agreement is valid and enforceable.

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APEX CHAMBERS, Law Firm of Property/Real Estate and Business/Corporate/Commercial Lawyers, Attorneys, Barristers, Solicitors, Advocates and Legal Practitioners rendering legal services, Legal Consultants and Notary Public with Law Office in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

Phone: +234(0)7030868694 (Calls and Whatsapp)
Email: info@apexchambersglobal.com
Website: www.apexchambersglobal.com