Texas Municipal Court Clerk Practice Exam 2025 – Comprehensive All-in-One Guide to Exam Success

A complaint is considered defective regarding signatures if either the affiant or the jurat uses a stamp instead of providing a handwritten signature. In legal documents, particularly in the context of court filings, the authenticity of a signature is crucial. The affiant is the person making the statement, while the jurat is the officer who administers the oath and verifies the signature. A handwritten signature ensures that the individual personally acknowledges and affirms the contents of the document. When a stamp is used instead, it raises questions about the authenticity and personal involvement of the signatory, potentially undermining the integrity of the complaint.

The other options do not pertain directly to issues with signatures. For instance, a complaint being handed in late relates more to procedural deadlines rather than the correctness of the signatures themselves. Similarly, the refusal of a judge to sign a document pertains to judicial discretion and approval, not the defects in signatures. Therefore, the correct choice accurately reflects the specific issue of signature validity necessary for a complaint to be considered legally sound.