Attorney In Fact
Categories: Regulations
The opposite of Atticus Finch and Perry Mason, who are attorneys in fiction...
You may have heard of the term "power of attorney." By granting this authority, you give someone else the power to make business decisions on your behalf. When this power is given, the person becomes your "attorney in fact," allowed to sign contracts and other legal documents for you.
In real life, this situation often comes up with elderly people, who are no longer physically or mentally able to keep up with their affairs. So they might name one of their kids (or a friendly neighbor, or that grocery clerk who was nice to them that time) as an attorney in fact. Once granted, the son/daughter/grocery clerk can then legally act for them, conducting pretty much any business on their behalf, like selling their homes or opening a bank account.
