Hey, I’m a little confused… why would a parent need to sign a lawsuit for their kids in a personal injury case if they weren’t even present during the incident? The mom claimed all the kids got hurt, but I’m not so sure. Anyone have any idea why this would be the case?
Minors can’t represent themselves in court, so a parent or guardian has to sign on their behalf. Even if the parent wasn’t there, they still need to approve the lawsuit.
Emerson said:
Minors can’t represent themselves in court, so a parent or guardian has to sign on their behalf. Even if the parent wasn’t there, they still need to approve the lawsuit.
But what if the dad lives in another country? Can he still sign the documents for the kids? 
@Jamie
He can sign, but it’s more complicated. He might need to do it through an online notary service or use the U.S. embassy for notarization.
Yeah, the online notary route might work if he’s abroad, but the process is tricky. It has to be done right or the signature won’t count.
Lior said:
Yeah, the online notary route might work if he’s abroad, but the process is tricky. It has to be done right or the signature won’t count.
Can the mom just sign for him with a letter saying it’s okay? 
@Ari
No, for notarized documents, the person has to be present. A letter won’t cut it.
Sounds like if they’re trying to cash checks or mess with documents, that could be a big problem. It seems shady to me.
Zade said:
Sounds like if they’re trying to cash checks or mess with documents, that could be a big problem. It seems shady to me.
Yeah, it’s definitely suspicious. Especially since they’re rushing to cash checks without the proper signatures.
@Maxwell
You can report that as fraud. I’d get in touch with law enforcement or the State Bar Association if a lawyer is involved.
If they’re changing documents just to cash checks, that’s a huge red flag. You should definitely report that to someone who can help.
Sidney said:
If they’re changing documents just to cash checks, that’s a huge red flag. You should definitely report that to someone who can help.
Also, don’t forget to talk to the court. If the case is ongoing, they might be able to look into it too.
Yep, it’s shady, but the good news is that you can report it and get it sorted out. Law enforcement and the AG’s office can help with that.
Emerson said:
Yep, it’s shady, but the good news is that you can report it and get it sorted out. Law enforcement and the AG’s office can help with that.
Thanks! I’m going to reach out to the local authorities and go from there. Hopefully, it’ll get cleared up soon.