Justices of The Peace
Justices of the Peace (JPs) are volunteers appointed by the Governor of New South Wales. The primary roles of a JP are to witness a person making a statutory declaration or affidavit, and to certify copies of original documents. JPs come from all sections of the community and are available across NSW.
A statutory declaration is a written statement which a person declares to be true in the presence of an authorised witness. Various organisations such as banks, insurance companies and superannuation providers often require information provided to them via a statutory declaration.
An affidavit is a written statement for use as evidence in court proceedings. A person making an affidavit must promise he or she is telling the truth in the presence of an authorised witness.
A certified copy of an original document may be required by various organisations. This avoids the need of a person to submit original documentation such as a birth certificate or academic qualifications.
A JP is trusted to be honest and impartial when performing their functions.
They Cannot:
- Unreasonably refuse to provide JP services.
- Charge you a fee or accept a gift for providing JP services.
- Assist or write in a statutory declaration or affidavit.
- Provide you with legal advice.
To ensure our JPs can serve you best, fill out the necessary documents before attending. DO NOT SIGN the document – you will do this in front of your JP. Please also ensure that you bring your license for the JP to site it.
To check if there is a JP available, feel free to text 0434 655 655 or call 02 9646 1124. You are also welcome to book an appointment to ensure that you can complete your task.
