Affidavit of Tomas Okonkwo, car park collision
Affidavit template with numbered paragraphs, exhibits and a jurat
An affidavit is sworn evidence, so it has to identify the case, say who is giving the evidence, set out what they saw in numbered paragraphs, and end with a jurat signed in front of an authorised person. This two page example is an independent witness to a car park collision, with three photographs and documents marked as exhibits.
The document, page by page
Every page as it renders and as it prints, with nothing summarised. Read the wording before you reuse it.
Section by section
What each section is for, so you can keep the ones you need and drop the rest.
- Filing details
- Who it is filed for, the deponent and affidavit number, the exhibit marks and the date sworn.
- Court and parties
- The court, claim number MC 2026/04417, and the claimant and defendant.
- Title and opening
- Affidavit of Tomas Okonkwo, with his address and occupation.
- Numbered paragraphs 1 to 12
- Independence, source of knowledge, the collision in time order, the exhibits and the hearsay paragraph.
- Exhibits table
- TO1 to TO3 with descriptions and page counts.
- Jurat
- Where and when it was sworn, with exhibits marked at swearing.
- Signatures
- The deponent, and the solicitor before whom it was sworn.
How to adapt this document
First, change the heading to your court's exact name and the claim number on your papers, and put the filing details where your court's rules ask for them, often the top right corner of the first page. Second, if you are a party rather than an independent witness, replace paragraph 1 with your role in the case and keep the rest in the same time ordered style. Third, if you have many documents, give each its own mark and keep the marks running across all your affidavits in the case, rather than restarting at 1 each time.
Format rules vary by court
The layout here follows the common law pattern set out, for example, in the Practice Direction to Part 32 of the Civil Procedure Rules for England and Wales: first person, numbered paragraphs, sources of information and belief stated, exhibits introduced with the standard words, and a jurat completed by an independent person whose name and qualification are printed. Courts in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and elsewhere use close variants, with their own forms for the heading and jurat. Before filing, compare this layout against the form your court publishes.
What makes this document work
Own knowledge and hearsay are kept apart
Paragraph 2 says everything is from the deponent's own knowledge except paragraph 11, and paragraph 11 names its source: a security officer at about 10:55 am who said the dock camera covers the aisle. Courts give different weight to what a witness saw and what they were told, so the affidavit says which is which.
Exhibits are introduced in the standard words
Paragraphs 8 to 10 each use the phrase there is now shown to me marked, then a mark: TO1 for four photographs taken from 10:43 am, TO2 for a sketch drawn that afternoon, TO3 for an email at 2:15 pm. The exhibits table repeats the marks with page counts, so nothing can be swapped later.
The jurat identifies the person who took the oath
The jurat states where and when the affidavit was sworn and that each exhibit was shown and marked, and the second signature block prints the solicitor's name, qualification and address. An affidavit whose witness cannot be identified, or which is signed by someone acting for a party, can be rejected.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between an affidavit and a statutory declaration?
An affidavit is evidence for a court case, so it carries the court heading and claim number and is sworn or affirmed. A statutory declaration is a written statement for other purposes, such as an insurer or agency, made under a declarations Act. Both are offences to make falsely, but they are not interchangeable.
Can I affirm instead of swearing an affidavit?
Yes. An affirmation has the same legal effect as an oath and suits anyone who prefers not to swear on a religious text. The jurat then reads affirmed rather than sworn. Tell the person taking it which you want before you start, so the wording on the document matches what you say.
Who can take an affidavit?
It depends on the court and the country, but it is usually a lawyer, a Justice of the Peace, a commissioner for oaths or a court officer. The person must be independent of the parties, which is why a solicitor from another firm takes this one. Check the rules of the court the affidavit is for.
Should an affidavit be written in the deponent's own words?
Yes, as far as practicable, and in the first person. A lawyer can help with structure, but phrases the witness would never use invite challenge in cross examination. This affidavit keeps plain language, such as the driver's words quoted exactly in paragraph 7, so the witness can stand behind every sentence.
What if I make a mistake after the affidavit is sworn?
Do not change the sworn document. Swear a second affidavit that corrects the error and explains it, numbered as the deponent's second affidavit, with any new exhibits continuing the existing marks. Alterations made before swearing must be initialled by both the deponent and the person taking the affidavit.
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