Court Document

A court document is an official file issued by a court of law. The term encompasses a variety of documents generated during legal proceedings, including pleadings, motions, affidavits, and court orders.

Court documents include but are not limited to:

• County Court Document
• Court Of Bankruptcy Document
• Sheriff Court Document
• Family Division of the High Court of Justice Document
• High Court Of Justice Document

Normally court documents are issued with a stamp and seal and therefore should be accepted by the majority of recipients. However, you may need to have your document notarised or apostilled in any of the following circumstances:

• The stamp and/or seal on your document is damaged or obscured.
• There is no seal. (This may include orders from magistrates’ courts or the Crown Court as well as other legal documents and correspondence.)
• You need to use the court document in a country that requires an additional layer of authentication.
• The document is issued only in an electronic form. 

An apostille legalises a court document that will be used in a member country of the Hague Apostille Convention. The Apostille is a standardised form of authentication recognised among contracting parties to the convention.

The process for legalising a Court Document typically involves the following steps:

• Appointment with a Notary Public: Schedule an appointment with one of our qualified notaries in London Victoria, Canary Wharf, or Surrey. Alternatively, send us your court document by secure mail.
• Notarisation: We will notarise the document as a true copy of the original or as an authentic electronically issued document. 
• Apostille: If required, we will submit the court document to the FCDO for an apostille. If the court document contains a wet ink stamp/ embossed seal/ wet ink signature from the court, the document can be apostilled directly and notarisation is not required. Take advantage of our premium next-day apostille service if the documents are delivered to us by 10:30 am or opt for the standard 4 working day apostille service.
• Document Return: Once these steps are completed, your court document will be ready to collect, or alternatively we can arrange delivery.

If you need notarisation or an apostille for your Court Document, contact us today. Our notaries will make the process as smooth as possible.