How To Properly Notarize Your Divorce Judgment & Settlement Agreement
Why correct notarization matters
When your divorce case wraps up, the signature pages from your Marital Settlement Agreement or Judgment need to be notarized and accompanied by an All Purpose Certificate of Acknowledgment. If the notary fills out the certificate incorrectly, the court can assume the wrong document was notarized. That assumption can lead to a rejected judgment and delays in finalizing your case.
What the All Purpose Certificate of Acknowledgment is
This certificate is the notary’s official attestation that the people signing the document appeared before them and acknowledged the signatures. The certificate includes a field labeled Description of the Attached Document. What goes into that field must match the document actually being signed.
Common mistakes notaries make
- Writing the name of a different court form that does not require notarization.
- Using vague or generic descriptions that do not connect the certificate to the specific settlement or judgment.
- Omitting reference to the judgment or settlement attachment entirely.
What should be written in the description field
The description must clearly identify the document the signers are acknowledging. Use terminology that ties the certificate to the Marital Settlement Agreement or the Judgment attachment. Examples that work include:
Marital Settlement Agreement — Signature Page
Judgment Attachment — Signature Page
Stipulated Judgment — Signature Page
Avoid listing unrelated forms or documents that do not require notarization. If the description names the wrong form, the court will likely treat the filing as defective.
Step by step checklist for getting the signatures notarized
- Bring the exact signature page(s) that need notarization. Do not bring unrelated forms to be referenced on the certificate.
- Ask the notary to use an All Purpose Certificate of Acknowledgment and to complete the description field with a phrase that matches one of the examples above.
- Confirm the signers present valid government issued photo ID and sign in front of the notary.
- Review the completed certificate before leaving to ensure the description matches the document and all notary fields are filled correctly.
- File the notarized pages with the court exactly as required by your case instructions.
If the court rejects the judgment
If the county clerk rejects your judgment because the description on the certificate does not match the document, you may need to have the correct document re notarized or file a corrected judgment. That creates extra time, possible court fees, and frustration. Catching the issue at the notary’s office avoids all of that.
Tips for working with notaries
- Tell the notary up front that the certificate must reference the Marital Settlement Agreement or Judgment attachment.
- Bring a printed example of acceptable descriptions if helpful.
- If the notary resists or seems unsure, ask for another notary or contact your attorney for guidance.
- Keep a copy of the notarized certificate and the signature page together for your records.
Final note
Proper notarization is a small step that carries big consequences. Make sure the Description of the Attached Document on the All Purpose Certificate of Acknowledgment explicitly identifies the Marital Settlement Agreement or Judgment attachment. Doing this once, correctly, keeps your judgment from being rejected and moves your case to finality without unnecessary delays.
