A.  An authentic act is a writing executed before a notary public or other officer authorized to perform that function, in the presence of two witnesses, and signed by each party who executed it, by each witness, and by each notary public before whom it was executed.  The typed or hand-printed name of each person shall be placed in a legible form immediately beneath the signature of each person signing the act.

B.  To be an authentic act, the writing need not be executed at one time or place, or before the same notary public or in the presence of the same witnesses, provided that each party who executes it does so before a notary public or other officer authorized to perform that function, and in the presence of two witnesses and each party, each witness, and each notary public signs it.  The failure to include the typed or hand-printed name of each person signing the act shall not affect the validity or authenticity of the act.

C.  If a party is unable or does not know how to sign his name, the notary public must cause him to affix his mark to the writing.

Acts 1984, No. 331, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1985; Acts 2003, No. 965, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2005.