affidavit n : written declaration made under oath; a written statement sworn to be true before someone legally authorized to administer an oath

Affidavit \Af`fi*da"vit\, n. [LL. affidavit he has made oath, perfect tense of affidare. See Affiance, Affy.] (Law) A sworn statement in writing; a declaration in writing, signed and made upon oath before an authorized magistrate. --Bouvier. --Burrill. Note: It is always made ex parte, and without cross-examination, and in this differs from a deposition. It is also applied to written statements made on affirmation. Syn: Deposition. See Deposition.

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An affidavit is a formal sworn statement of fact, signed by the author, who is called the affiant or deponent, and witnessed as to the authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public or commissioner of oaths. The name is Medieval Latin for he has declared upon oath. An affidavit is a type of verified statement or showing, or in other words, it contains a verification, meaning it is under oath or penalty of perjury, and this serves as evidence to its veracity and is required for court proceedings. Not all affidavits require a notary public for execution.

Uses of affidavits include: the court, the government, or who may otherwise fear for their safety if their true identities are revealed in court.

Affidavits may be written in the first or third person, depending on who drafted the document. If in the first person, the document's component parts are:

• APNewsBreak: Minn. man targeted Mexican consulate - msnbc.com
  Joseph Benjamin Thomas also told an undercover FBI agent he considered himself a "domestic terrorist" instead of an American and would risk his life for the white supremacist movement in the event of a "race war," the FBI affidavit said. The document ... Read more on this news related to 'Affidavit'
• APNewsBreak: Affidavit says Minn. man plotted attack against Mexican consulate - Washington Post
  MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota man with suspected ties to white supremacist groups planned to attack the Mexican consulate in St. Paul, believing it would stir debate on immigration amnesty issues ahead of the 2012 presidential election, according to a ... Read more on this news related to 'Affidavit'
• APNewsBreak: FBI affidavit says Minn. man plotted attack against Mexican consulate - Washington Post
  MINNEAPOLIS — A Minnesota man with suspected ties to white supremacist groups had devised a plan to attack the Mexican consulate in St. Paul and believed his actions would “manifest national awareness,” according to a federal affidavit obtained ... Read more on this news related to 'Affidavit'