Opinion ID: 1751753
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Verification Requirement

Text: Solis first claims on appeal that a verification is simply a signed document, and an attorney's signature constitutes the attorney's verification. No further verification, he argues, is required under § 5-64-505(g)(4) or under the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure. [1] The State, on the other hand, contends that verification has been defined by this court to require more than an attorney's signature. The State notes that Arkansas Rule of Civil Procedure 11 provides that, in general, pleadings can be signed by a party's attorney and do not have to be verified, but it makes an exception if verification is otherwise specifically provided by rule or statute. Ark. R. Civ. P. 11(a) (2007). Section 5-64-505(g)(4), the State maintains, contains precisely such an additional verification requirement. This court reviews issues of statutory interpretation de novo, because it is for this court to determine the meaning of a statute. McMickle v. Griffin, 369 Ark. 318, 323, 254 S.W.3d 729, 735-36 (2007). Although this court is not bound by a circuit court's decision, in the absence of a showing that the trial court erred, its interpretation will be accepted as correct on appeal. Kelley v. USAA Cas. Ins. Co., 371 Ark. 344, 346, 266 S.W.3d 734, 736-37 (2007). This court has further explained that: The basic rule of statutory construction is to give effect to the intent of the legislature. Where the language of a statute is plain and unambiguous, we determine the legislative intent from the ordinary meaning of the language used. In considering the meaning of a statute, we construe it just as it reads, giving the words their ordinary and usually accepted meaning in common language. We construe the statute so that no word is left void, superfluous or insignificant, and we give meaning and effect to every word in the statute, if possible. McMickle, 369 Ark. at 323, 254 S.W.3d at 735-36 (quoting Great Lakes Chem. Corp. v. Bruner, 368 Ark. 74, 82, 243 S.W.3d 285, 291 (2006)) (citations omitted). As already noted, § 5-64-505(g)(4), which is the civil forfeiture statute, requires that the owner or interest holder of the seized property shall file with the circuit clerk a verified answer to the complaint. Thus, the instant case presents the question of what constitutes a verified answer for purposes of this statute. The definition of verification can be found in this court's case law, where it has been said that verification is [a] formal declaration made in the presence of an authorized officer, such as a notary public, or ... under oath but not in the presence of such an officer, whereby one swears to the truth of the statements in the document. Shaw v. State, 363 Ark. 156, 157, 211 S.W.3d 506, 507-08 (2005) (quoting Black's Law Dictionary 1593 (8th ed. 2004)). That definition, however, does not answer the question of whether an attorney can verify a document on a client's behalf. This question, nevertheless, is answered by the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure. Rule 11 of those rules provides that [e]very pleading, motion, and other paper of a party represented by an attorney shall be signed by at least one attorney of record. Ark. R. Civ. P. 11(a) (2007). It also provides that [e]xcept when otherwise specifically provided by rule or statute, pleadings need not be verified. Id. Thus, it is clear from the plain language of Rule 11 that verification means something more in certain instances than an attorney's signature on the pleading. Rule 11 was adopted in its original form in 1978 as part of the Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure. Re: Rules of Civil Procedure, 264 Ark. 964 (1978). Consulting the pre-Rule 11 requirement for pleadings, the Arkansas Code reveals that at one time the complaint, answer and reply were required to be verified by the affidavit of the party to the effect that he believes the statements thereof to be true. Ark. Stat. Ann. § 27-1105 (Repl. 1962). When § 27-1105 was replaced by Rule 11 in 1978, the verification requirement was eliminated for most pleadings. Ark. R. Civ. P. 11 (2007), Reporter's Note 2. Under the original version of Rule 11, verification was required only if specifically provided by these rules. Ark. Stat. Ann. Appx.-Rules of Court (Repl.1979); Arkansas Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 11. However, under the most recent amendment to the rules, which occurred in 1997, a verification can be required by rule or statute.  Ark. R. Civ. P. 11(a) (2007) (emphasis added). Section § 5-64-505(g)(4) unambiguously and clearly contains a requirement that the owner of the seized property verify the answer. It is, therefore, beyond dispute that Solis was required to swear personally to the truth of the statements contained in his answer. The trial court correctly found that Solis's answer was void and of no effect.