Key Points
- JPs have been appointed to be an authorised witness when you sign legal documents or create copies.
- You can find a JP in your area who speaks your language.
- JPs are volunteers—they cannot charge for their service.
A Justice of the Peace—or JP—can help you at the most important times in your life. They have been entrusted with the responsibility of assisting you with your legal documents.
JPs are upstanding citizens who have been appointed by the individual state and territory governments through a rigorous application process. This gives them authorisation to perform tasks such as acting as a witness when you’re signing legal papers.
JPs cannot accept payment for their services. They are volunteers who share a desire to give back to their community.
Dean Beck is Document Signing Centre Coordinator at the Victorian Pride Centre.
“I became a JP because my father was a Magistrate, and I was sort of brought up in the law,” he says.
“And I've always volunteered—it was part of our family ethos to give back. So I put my hand up."
I think a strong sense of social justice, fairness and equality, they're all good traits that I think I possess and they're all good traits for a JP.Dean Beck
What can a JP do for you?
In short, JPs help you with your legal paperwork.
Often documents are legally required to be signed by a JP to ensure that your signature is authentic and that the information you provide is truthful, and that any copies of your documents are accurate.
JPs are highly trained to certify copies of your identity documents, Mr Beck explains. You may need a copy of your driver's licence, passport, birth certificate, Medicare card or your academic records, for example.
A JP can stamp your document to certify that it is a true and correct copy of your original document. Source: Getty / StockPlanets
Beverly Alley is President of the ACT Justices of the Peace Association. She says when you bring copies of your documents to a JP they will sign and date them and add their JP number.
“So the JP would generally stamp their jurat which says ‘I certify that this is a true and correct copy of the original document sighted by me’”.
Regardless of the type of document, always bring some photo ID with you such as a passport or driver’s licence, so that the JP can verify your identity.
As an accountant, Alan Leung would routinely certify documents for the public. Becoming a JP was a natural extension, allowing him to help a broader range of people.
“Being a JP also gives me the opportunity to put back to the community, which has been super good to me. And being a JP is hugely rewarding.”
Mr Leung is approached by people from all walks of life seeking help with loan applications, setting up trusts, preparing Wills and Powers of Attorney, declaring a notice to marry or divorce or proving their identity.
Some choose to see me because they require a JP that speaks a particular language, like Cantonese in my situation, or simply because they are in the neighbourhood where I provide my service.Alan Leung
What is a statutory declaration?
JPs are commonly asked to witness a statutory declaration (or stat dec). It may be for an insurance claim or when applying for sick leave from work, for example.
A stat dec is a written statement that you are declaring is true and accurate. You must sign it in the presence of an authorised witness—such as a JP.
You must sign a stat dec in the presence of an authorised witness such as a JP. Credit: MTStock Studio/Getty Images
What can’t a JP sign?
JPs are not authorised to certify unfamiliar documents.
They cannot witness documents in a language they don’t understand. In such cases they would ask you to find another JP that speaks your language.
Sometimes a document may be beyond the scope of a JP, requiring a Notary Public who has a legal background.
Unlike JPs, a Notary Public will charge a fee.
Where do you find a JP?
Each state and territory has an online public register. Simply search online for ‘find a JP’ or visit the Department of Justice website in your jurisdiction.
You can search by location, availability, language and even name, Mr Leung explains.
“So if you need a JP that, say, speaks Cantonese in the Melbourne CBD that's available on weekends, the website will give you a list of names with phone numbers so that you can make an appointment. So it’s super easy.”
You can search for a JP by location, availability, language and even name. Source: Getty / SrdjanPav
Document Signing Centres
Within most jurisdictions you can find JPs on duty at Document Signing Centres (DSC) or JP signing desks.
These are set up in libraries, community centres, police stations and law courts. No appointment is necessary.
While these are practical options, Dean Beck says not everyone is comfortable visiting a police station or law court. He coordinates a DSC at the Victorian Pride Centre in St Kilda—the only DSC within 10km of Melbourne’s CBD that is not in a police station or law court.
“We provide a safe space for people, regardless of their ethnicity, their sexuality, their background,” Mr Beck says.
You can locate your nearest Document Signing Centre and hours of operation simply by searching ‘find a JP’.
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