Law:

Section:

 SUMMARY

The petitioner challenged an order of the Family Court striking off his right to file a written statement. Along with the petition, he attached a “proposed written statement” that had never been filed before the trial court and was neither signed nor verified by the petitioner, bearing only counsel’s signature. The Court examined whether such a document could be treated as part of the record despite being incomplete and not officially filed.

The Court held that:

• An unsigned, unverified, and unfiled document remains a mere proposed pleading with no legal sanctity.
• Such a document cannot be annexed as a certified or final document in constitutional jurisdiction.
• Allowing incomplete documents may prejudice the rights of parties.
• If the petitioner wants to rely on it, he must file:
  • an application to place it on record, and
  • an application for dispensing with certified copy.

Result: Office objection sustained; petition allowed to proceed only after proper procedural compliance.