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Know All Men By These Presents That, Form

Use a KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS That , template to make your document workflow more streamlined.

What this form language means

“Know All Men By These Presents That” is a traditional introductory recital used at the beginning of deeds, contracts, powers of attorney, and other legal instruments; it is not, by itself, a single federally issued U.S. form. The operative terms appear after the recital and identify the parties, transaction, consideration, obligations, and signature requirements. A signer should review the complete document, not rely on this phrase alone. Electronic execution may be recognized under the federal ESIGN Act, 15 U.S.C. chapter 96, and applicable state law, including UETA or New York’s ESRA, unless an exception applies.

Features that support this document

The useful workflow is tied to the complete instrument, because the opening phrase alone does not establish parties, duties, consideration, or enforceability.

Complete document review

Upload the complete instrument, then review detected fields instead of relying on the opening recital. Add every required party, date, amount, acknowledgment, and signature field before sending.

Signer routing

Assign each signer to the correct role and preserve the signing order when the underlying agreement requires sequential execution or approval.

Audit evidence

Capture email delivery, authentication, timestamps, and document history in the audit trail so the execution record explains who signed and when.

Reusable templates

Use templates for recurring agreements containing this recital, while requiring a reviewer to confirm transaction-specific parties, terms, and attachments before sending.

Mobile signing

Signers can review and complete the document on supported mobile apps, helping parties execute agreements without returning paper copies.

Controlled access

Use role-based permissions and secure storage to limit access to names, addresses, payment terms, and other information in the complete instrument.

Who uses this document language

Legal services

Legal departments can use the recital in contracts, powers of attorney, and settlement documents, subject to attorney review and state-specific execution rules.

Real estate

Real-estate teams can prepare deeds or agreements, but recording offices may require notarization, witnesses, formatting, or original documents.

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How the signing workflow works

The phrase does not determine the transaction; the complete document and its signed execution record do.

  • Upload document: Upload the complete document containing the recital and transaction terms.
  • Prepare fields: Review the detected fields and place signature, date, and initials fields.
  • Send for signature: Send the document to identified parties through email or a signing link.
  • Preserve evidence: Store the completed document and audit trail together for later reference.

Complete this document in signNow

Use this sequence to prepare the recital, identify the transaction, obtain signatures, and preserve evidence of completion.

  • Upload document:

    Upload the source document containing the recital and transaction details.
  • Check fields:

    Review detected fields and add missing names, dates, amounts, and signature fields.
  • Assign signers:

    Assign each signer and set the signing order when multiple parties are involved.
  • Complete record:

    Send the document, monitor completion, and download the signed record with its audit trail.

Recommended signing setup

Use identifiable signers, preserve the complete document, and align retention with the transaction’s governing law.

SettingRecommendation
Authentication methodEmail verification with SMS OTP
Signature typeTyped or drawn electronic signature
Audit trail and encryptionDetailed audit trail with AES-256
Document retentionRetain under the transaction’s applicable rule
User provisioningRole-based access for senders and signers

What the audit trail records

For this recital, the audit trail helps connect the identified parties and signing event to the complete underlying instrument.

01

Authenticate signer:

Capture signer identity and authentication details.
02

Capture timestamps:

Record signing actions with timestamps and IP data.
03

Hash document:

Associate the completed document with its audit history.
04

Seal record:

Preserve changes through a tamper-evident completion record.
05

Log events:

Record delivery, viewing, signing, and completion events.
06

Retrieve evidence:

Export the audit trail with the signed PDF.

Preserve the signed form correctly

Recordkeeping depends on what this recital documents, because “Know All Men By These Presents That” is opening language rather than a single federally standardized filing form.

Separate the signed record

Keep the executed document and completion certificate together. For tax-related records, apply the applicable IRS retention rule rather than assuming this recital has a universal retention period.

Export the audit trail

Export the signNow audit trail after completion and preserve signer identity, timestamps, delivery events, and document history with the final PDF.

Limit access to personal data

Restrict access to the parties and administrators who need the record. Use role-based permissions and review shared folders for accidental disclosure.

Map retention to purpose

Do not assign a fixed retention period without identifying the transaction. IRS, HIPAA, employment, and state rules can impose different periods.

Security for signed records

Encryption at rest:

AES-256 at rest

Transport encryption:

TLS 1.2/1.3 in transit

Security certification:

SOC 2 Type II certified

Information security:

ISO 27001 certified

Electronic signatures:

ESIGN and UETA compliant

Health information:

HIPAA compliant with BAA

Troubleshoot execution and compliance questions

These answers address the phrase’s legal scope, electronic execution, signNow handling, and document-retention questions.

The phrase is not a standardized federal form identifier, so confirm the complete document’s purpose, parties, and governing law before sending it. signNow can preserve the executed document and audit trail, but it cannot determine whether the underlying instrument is legally sufficient.

ESIGN and UETA generally recognize electronic signatures when intent, consent, attribution, and record retention requirements are met. Wills, codicils, court filings, family-law decrees, and other statutory exceptions require separate legal analysis and may not qualify.

A deed may need acknowledgment before a notary and must satisfy the destination state’s recording rules. Electronic signing in signNow does not replace a required notarization, witness process, or county recording submission.

Consumer-facing electronic records require an ESIGN disclosure explaining the right to paper, access to the electronic format, and withdrawal procedures under 15 U.S.C. §7001(c). Obtain appropriate consent before sending a consumer transaction.

Business includes legally binding eSignatures, audit trails, templates, and mobile apps at $8 per user monthly when billed annually. The plan includes 100 signature invites per user per year; overage fees may apply.

Use the complete signed PDF, completion certificate, and exported audit trail together. Do not assume a universal retention period: the underlying transaction may trigger IRS, HIPAA, employment, securities, or state requirements.

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