TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1 (INVESTIGATIVE/ POLICE REPORT WRITING) AND TECHNICAL

ENGLISH 2 (LEGAL FORMS)

(Crime Detection and Investigation 8)
REPORT

A report is defined as a written account of something based upon the writer’s observation,
investigation or analysis. It can also be defined as a story of actions performed by men; an official
presentation of facts of an event especially for publication; a means of setting forth the information
they contained to other individual and agencies.

POLICE REPORT

Generally, it is any written matter prepared by the police involving their interaction with the
community members; it is an exact narration of facts discovered during the course of crime
investigation which serves as a permanent written record for future reference (chronological
narration); it is a permanent written records of police activities which communicates facts concerning
people involved in criminal activities.

IMPORTANCE OF REPORTS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

The importance of report writing is immeasurable. Report writing is a much-needed skill that
can make or break a successful career in law enforcement. Most law enforcement officers will spend
as much or more time in their career writing reports than at any other single task. It is important to
ensure all would be police officers, correctional officers, fire officers; security personnel and law
enforcer receive guidance and training with report writing.

Whether it is due to the officer’s lack of training, laziness, workload, or not being given enough
time to write a good report, the end result will be a poorly written report. When an officer habitually
writes a poor-quality report, it creates many negative effects on the investigation and the officer’s
credibility.

VALUE OF REPORT TO THE LAW ENFORCER

A well-written report can also serve the following purposes for an Officer of the Law:

1. Time saver: Accurate organization of the material and repetition elimination can cut hours out
of an officer’s reporting time.
2. Better court preparation: A well-written report can prove more efficient in a court of law,
speaking more logically and correctly to lawyers and judges.
3. Possible avoidance of court: A report that leaves little material for questioning could help an
officer avoid having to attend court at all. If the report is written clearly and leaves little room for
questions, counsel may have no reason to call the officer into the court.
4. Respect from superiors and fellow officers: If a report is written well the first time, an officer’s
superior has little revision to make, saving time and energy and earning the officer respect in
the eyes of his/her superior.
What are the Purposes of Police Report?
The report file and all its related indices serve as the memory bank for the police department.
This file provides for the members of the department a compilation of written records of the
department transactions for which policy requires that reports be made and maintained.

1. Allocation of resources/source of planning – reports are administrative tools. Officers’ reports of

the past in performing those various tasks will be used as the basis for planning future activities.

2. Policy formulation/Policy change – properly prepared reports recounting department activities,

utilizing means prescribed by the department policies may actually point up the need for revision or
at least review those existing policies. In defense of tradition, it might be added that some long-
standing policies are still valid and workable.

3. Investigative Source/Operational Activities – the reports serve as information exchange device

between the officers in the different divisions and between officers on different shifts in the same
divisions. They provide leads for investigation and a common pool of information available to all who
have access to the files.

4. Information Resources for other agencies – police reports provide prosecutors and the courts
with a ready source of information regarding current or past cases. Probation and Parole officers
make decisions and recommendations regarding their probationers and parolees using every possible
source of information, including police reports. The press also makes use of police records to assure
accuracy in reporting.

What are the Tips for Good Legal Writing? 

 Use plain language. A judge wants to understand your case. The best way to ensure this is by
writing in plain language. Don’t write in an unnecessarily complex manner. 
 Write shorter sentences. Keep it simple. Avoid telling your reader too much in one sentence
by keeping sentences short (usually under 20 words). Write one idea per paragraph and keep
to the point. 
 Always keep your reader in mind. Your number one reader is likely the judge. The judge
needs to understand the meaningful facts of your case and the law that applies to those facts.
To aid the judge you present your facts in a serious and professional manner that avoids
unnecessary details. 
 Be well organized. At the start, organize your ideas by creating an outline.  Outlines will help
you figure out and communicate your key points. Organizing your outline into key points will
make your writing easier to understand. It is helpful to number your paragraphs so you can
easily refer to them. If you have multiple pages, make sure to have them numbered. 
 Be accurate. Give precise information instead of general information when it is possible. For
example, give the date of an event instead of saying “recently” or “last month”.  Specificity gives
credibility to your writing. 
 Be honest. State facts. If you don’t know if something is true, then don’t say that it is true.
You do not want the reader to question your credibility by misrepresenting what happened. 
 Be consistent. Consistency brings clarity. Referring to things in a consistent manner helps
your reader understand what you are writing. For instance, don’t keep switching between first
name, last name, and nickname because the reader might think you are referring to different
people. 
 Provide context. Assume the reader knows nothing about your situation. 
  Provide a short description to help the reader understand the situation. 
 Focus. Stay focused on what you need to tell the reader. Don’t distract the reader with
irrelevant information because relevant facts can get lost in the pile of irrelevant ones. 
 Type your document. If you have the option to type your document, do so. Handwriting is
acceptable but a typed document looks much more professional and is easier to read.
 Edit your work. As in all professional writing, spelling and grammar is important. Be sure to
read through it multiple times before finalizing your draft.  If you can, have someone else
review it. 
 Legal review. Getting a professional to review your document will help ensure that it is done
properly. A lawyer can point out mistakes that are not immediately obvious to people without
legal training. 

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD POLICE REPORT WRITING

When a report goes beyond the section, bureau, or division, special care must be exercised to
include adequate background information and to ensure that the report is complete. In the third
place, the reader is depending upon the report to make his own decisions. Usually he must rely on the
clarity, completeness, accuracy, fairness, and objectivity of a report and accept it as his own. With
these facts in mind let's take a closer look at the rules.

1. The Report Should Be Clear

Your report is as simple and direct as possible. It should include a clear statement of
objectives or purpose so that the reader can quickly evaluate it against this stated objective.

2. The Report Should Be Pertinent

Your report should deal exclusively with the stated objective or the subject
with which it states it is concerned. If other subjects are introduced, they should be
related to the major one, and the relationship should be made clear.

3. The Report Should Be Brief

Although brevity is a relative matter and should depend upon the nature of
your report and the use that will be made of it, it should be brief enough to be
useful, but not so brief as to raise questions about its validity. Brevity is achieved by
avoiding verbosity and needless repetition, unnecessary detail, and all matters not
bearing on the subject under discussion. It includes the ability to make your report
unified, coherent, and emphatic.

4. The Report Should Be Complete

Within the dimensions of the assignment or stated objective, your report
must be sufficiently exhaustive so that the reader can use it with confidence.
Although again this is a relative matter, completeness means reporting all the facts
you have learned which have a bearing on the problem or case.
5. The Report Should Be Current
Therefore, your report should be carefully dated, not only with respect to the
time it was written, but as of the time the investigation ended.
 6. The Report Should Be Accurate
Your report is as accurate as possible, because inaccuracy may cause
embarrassing to you, the chief, and to others. If there are errors of substance or
judgment, it raises doubts with respect to your methods of investigation, the
preparation of the report, or in the competence of the person or persons w-ho
evaluated it. In order to be accurate, you must conform to the truth. A report is an
exact recitation of the facts obtained without any addition or subtraction. A fact is
that which you know to be a fact by the use of any or all of your five senses. Any
other information is hearsay; it must be given at the proper time and place in the
report and labeled as such.

7. The Report Should Be Fair

Regardless of the type of report, fairness is essential to a good report. In some
reports it may be difficult for you to be unbiased, but you must make every effort to
recognize your difficulty and to eliminate its influence on your report. One way to
achieve fairness is to report all of the facts. Nothing should be concealed or withheld
because it tends to weaken your case or because it doesn't fit your conclusion.
Fairness can be achieved by keeping an open mind. Take facts as you find them.

8. The Report Should Be Properly Classified

If the substance of your report deals with secret or classified information; or,
if the nature of the report is one requiring confidential treatment until it is released,
this should be clearly stated.
9. The Report Should Be Written in Proper Form
Form refers to the arrangement of the material presented, the visual shape of
the document, the mechanical set-up. It refers to anything that will make your
report more easily read and useful as a reference. It includes, among other things,
proper paragraphing, proper indentation, proper underscoring, proper capitalization,
or any device which sets out the important phases of the report. Form includes the
proper setting forth of the various headings of the report and the pertinent material
of each. It refers to the proper inclusion of exhibits. It refers to the neatness of the
report, the spelling, abbreviations, punctuation and preciseness of expression. If
your report can be read easily, if the reviewer can find without difficulty those parts
in which is primarily interested, and if the document can be used effectively for later
reference, the report form is adequate.54
What are the Classifications of Police Reports?
1. Informal Reports. It is usually a memorandum, or any of one of the many prescribed in day-to
day police operations. It customarily carries three items besides the text proper (ex: date
submitted, subject, and persons or person to whom submitted). It may, however, contain many
items of administrative importance along with the subject matter of the text.

2. Formal Reports. All in all, a complete formal report must consist of the following parts: cover,
title page, letter of transmittal, table of contents, introduction or preface, summary, body of the
report, conclusions, recommendations, and supplemental materials like appendices, etc.

What are the Categories of Police Reports?

 1. Operational Reports – include those relating to the reporting of police incidents,
investigations, arrests, identification of persons, and miscellaneous reports necessary to the
conduct of routine operations.
2. Internal Reports – relate to the reporting necessary to the management of the police
organization and include financial reports, personnel reports, purchase reports, equipment
reports, property maintenance reports, and general correspondence.
3. Technical Reports – present data on any specialized subject, but usually related to
completed staff work, and add to the specific knowledge necessary to proper police
management.

What are the Types of Police Report?

Reports vary according to how they are used and why they are written. Here are some of the
different types of reports:
1. Arrest Report: An arrest report is written whenever a person is arrested. This report must
include the probable cause for the detention, arrest, and disposition of the suspect.

2. Clearance Report: A clearance report states the end result to a specific case. It might be the
arrest of a suspect, the recovery of property, or the filing of a complaint. It brings the case to a
conclusion.

3. Crime Report: A crime report is written after the investigating officer concludes that a crime
has occurred. A crime report must include all the elements of the crime and should include all
information regarding the crime at the time the report was taken, such as location, the time
and place the crime occurred, loss or injuries, evidence collected, suspect description, etc. A
crime report form tends to be a generic pre-printed form that can be used to document any
criminal occurrence.

4. Event or Incident Report: An event or incident report is used to document events not
considered criminal. Such events may be medical aid calls, civil disputes, citizen assists, and
the like. Some agencies call these Service or Miscellaneous reports.

5. Evidence Collection Report: An evidence collection report establishes the chain of evidence,
such as who discovered the evidence, when and where it was located, who collected it, and its
disposition.

6. Memorandum: A memorandum is generally used to request information or to answer a

request for information. It is less formal than the crime or incident report but can be just as
important. Memorandums are commonly used to pass on information from shift to shift, to
document minor disciplinary actions, vacation requests, training information, etc.

7. Narcotic, Drunk Driving, Intoxication Report: A narcotic, drunk driving, or intoxication

report is used to describe the suspect’s condition of being under the influence of a drug or
alcohol. Most often, these are separate reports and written in conjunction with a crime report.

8. Officer’s Activity Report or Daily Log: The activity report or daily log is commonly used to
provide an agency with statistical information regarding the activity on an officer’s shift. These
reports include the calls the officers responded to, the disposition of the call, the amount of
time spent on the call, and other activities within the shift such as car stops, number of
 citations written, etc. Some agencies obtain the same information via a computer terminal in
the officer’s vehicle.

9. Supplemental Report: A supplemental report is typically written by an officer other than the
original reporting officer. For instance, an officer may assist a fellow officer in an investigation
by interviewing people or by recovering property. The assisting officer would write a
Supplemental Report to document his or her actions.

10. Traffic Collision Report: A traffic collision report provides information regarding traffic
collisions. Such reports typically include statements of drivers and witnesses, diagrams, and
photographs. Traffic Citations are given when a traffic or parking violation has occurred. They
are pre-printed forms.

11. Spot Reports – done after an important incident takes place in a certain area at a given time.
Verbal or written, it must be done or acted upon within twenty-four hours. The idea is to inform
an immediate chief, considering the fact that whatever happens in the area is his command
responsibility.

12. Investigation Reports – in criminal investigations, the arrangement of the material presented
in an investigation report follows a certain pattern. The idea is for the report to be easily read.

What is the format of an Investigation Report?

In criminal investigation units, the arrangement of the materials presented in an investigation
report (acronym as IR) follows a certain pattern. The idea is for the report to be easily read. 
The form is similar to SUBJECT-TO LETTER, except that the text is guided with the following
headings:
1. Authority 
2. Matters Investigated 
3. Facts of The Case 
4. Discussion/Investigation/Findings
5. Conclusions 
6. Recommendations 
Take Note: If a heading is not important because it is absorbed in another heading, such can be
excluded. Headings are capitalized and followed by a colon. All the paragraphs composing the text of
the report are numbered consecutively. The investigator or the investigating officer signs the report. 
1. Authority:  This section should contain a brief statement of when, where of when, where and by
whom the investigation was made, citing the authority for making it. If the investigation was made on
the basis of oral orders, this fact should be stated, naming the individual issuing the order and the
date thereof.  If it were made pursuant to the document, stating the date and the original authority,
whether local or chief of higher headquarters, is necessary. 155 
2. Matters Investigated: This section of the report represents the mission of the
investigator/investigating officer. In other words, "What is the investigation about?" Most of these
reports are written complaints, alleging that some persons have committed some crimes or unjust
treatments. If the allegations are too long to cite, a synopsis is in order. Appropriate reference may be
made to the copy of the papers in the appendix upon which the investigation was based. 156 
3. Facts of the Case: This section presents the real truth respecting the matters investigated. Clear
and complete descriptions should be applied here. Presentation of facts should be coherent, unbiased,
and fully supported by evidence. The facts regarding the several matters at issue should be presented
in the same manner as that which the allegations are presented in the preceding section. If there are
several allegations to be handled, the presentation should be such that the reader will know all times
which allegation is being considered. The facts of each allegation should be put together to tell the
story, especially if the investigating officer is reporting orally. Brevity is not permissible, if it involves
the omission of a single fact necessary to the only evidence procurable concerning an element of the
case. If there is the conflicting statement of two witnesses who seem to be entitled to equal credence,
the investigating officer may quote from both testimonies. But this procedure should be exceptional
and not be used in lieu of making a determination of the facts based on a study, analysis and
weighting the evidence.
4. Discussion:  This Section should indicate the presumption and inference from all the
circumstances in the case to give the directing authority the clearest possible picture. It should
contain such related factual matter of argument as may be necessary, in addition to the facts
presented, to establish the conclusions and recommendations based thereon. In simple cases
requiring circumstances, this section may be avoided and indicated or worded. "This case possesses
no aspects or conditions requiring special discussion; and there are no mitigating or extenuating
circumstances." Frequently, however, the evidence is so evenly divided, pro and con or the attending
circumstances are so unusual that some explanatory justifying conclusions reached are necessary. In
the event act of irregularity or misconduct are established in the case of a person whose past record
has otherwise been of such excellence, justice requires that it should be included in the discussion
when the only obtainable evidence is that contained in the testimony of the informant and of the
person accused, the facts cannot positively be established. However, the records and character of the
accuser may be used to assist in determining the appropriate action. In such cases the investigating
officer’s observations and opinions may appropriately be presented in this section of the report.
Whenever the available evidence is scanty and conflicting, but the investigating officer has strong and
well-supported convictions on the matter, the basis for the conclusions he reaches should be
presented in the discussion.
5. Conclusion: This section represents a concise summary of the results of investigation directly
consequent from and supported by the facts. These should logically follow the facts of the case as
found and set forth in the report and should have no item not supported by the facts contained in the
preceding parts of the report. They are usually stated in the order naturally suggested by the
statement of the allegations or facts. 
7. Recommendations: This section should contain the practical suggestions as to appropriate action
to be taken to make suitable disposition of all phases of the case. This should follow as far as
practicable; the same sequence as was used in the presentation of the conclusions. Recommendations
should be consistent with and appropriate to the conclusions. They constitute the investigating
officer's judgment, as he has established, as to the action the directing authority should take. They
should stipulate the proper action in the case of a wrong committed or the remedy for an
unsatisfactory situation or condition found to exist.  If the facts and conclusions disclose that no
wrong was committed nor was there a condition requiring correction, the recommendation may be
that the case be closed. 

THE VALUE OF THE 5WS AND 1 H IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION

The following are the value of what 5W’s and 1 H in criminal investigation:
1. Aid the investigator in searching the crime scene or other places which
maybe sources of evidences.
2. Guide the investigator in formulating questions in interviewing complainant,
witnesses and other interested parties or in the process of interrogating a
suspect.
3. Assists the investigator and the desk officer in making brief statements of
facts in the logbook/police blotter and in reports.
 4. Help the investigator in preparing the MODUS OPERANDI report
5. Assist the investigator in furnishing a brief and concise criminal investigation
report.

Isaias Alma Jose in his book “Technical Report Writing” lists down the following as the
steps in writing the report:
1. G - gather the facts, which means that the officer must first gather the facts
thru observation, interview of witnesses or persons of interest. This also
includes asking questions from relatives of the victim, by standers, fellow
officers, first responders and the like. The objective of gathering data is to
ensure that preliminary facts are established which means that the five Ws and
1 H is answered.
2. R - record the facts, means that the data that was gathered. This can be done
thru notes taking, listening, tape recording or videotaping the data gathering
process. It is important to ensure that all facts are gathered so that when it will
be finalized the investigator does not have to go back to his witnesses.
3. O - organize the facts. Background preparation includes gathering and
arranging the information in a logical sequence, thus outlining the report.
Arrange notes, evidence and exhibits in the same order as you intend to present
the information in the report. Reports should refer to each other and are
correlated.
4. W - write the report. This perhaps is the most challenging part as an
investigator is to write down the report. Challenging since the task is
complicated, time consuming and tedious. The report must be written in a
manner that it is clear, concise, accurate and objective or fair. Rules on format
and style must also be considered.
5. E - evaluate the report. This means that after the report had been prepared, it is
customary to review the same by the person who prepared it and by a superior
officer. After the review has been made it is again edited and reviewed and it will
be ready for submission or transmittal to the proper units or agencies.

INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS AND FORMAT

IMPORTANT TERMS
The following terms are important in the course of the study of investigative report
writing taken from the PNP Field Training Manual for Investigation: 135

1. Investigative Reporting – is an objective statement of the investigator’s findings.

It is an official record of information relevant to the investigation which the
investigator submits to his/her superior.

2. Communication – the use of language, spoken or written, to exchange ideas or

transfer information.

3. Report – is a detailed account of an event, situation, etc., usually based on observation or

inquiry.
 4. Reporting – is knowingly passing along information to someone else.

5. Report Writing – is a communication that lends itself to a useful tool for people
in a free society to express their thoughts and ideas and to obtain what they
need or want.

6. Fact – is anything which either through careful observation or investigation,

has been proven to exist as to have happened.

7. Note Taking – is defined as a brief notation concerning specific events that are
recorded while fresh in your mind and used to prepare a report.

8. Chronological Order – is the arrangement of events and/or actions in order by

the time of their occurrence.

9. Criminal Investigation – is the collection of facts to accomplish a threefold aim:

to identify the suspect; to locate the suspect; and to provide evidence of his
guilt.

10. Criminal Investigator – shall refer to any law enforcement personnel belonging
to the duly mandated Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) tasked to conduct
investigation

Basic Types of Investigation Report

1. Spot Report is an immediate initial investigative or incident report addressed to Higher
Headquarters pertaining to the commission of the crime, occurrence of natural or man-
made disaster or unusual incidents involving loss of lives and damage to properties.

2. A Progress Report is an accounting of the actions or series of actions

undertaken in relation to an ongoing investigation of a case.

3. After Operation Report is a report that may be rendered after any successful
police operation that leads to the arrest of any member or some members of
syndicated crime group.

4. Final Report is a thorough, in-depth and lengthy account regarding an

investigation into an incident or case as mandated by higher authorities to
establish a determination of the truth and/or how far it could be determined
based on the facts and circumstances with the appropriate recommendation for
the proper course/s of action/s to be made.

What are the types of Criminal Justice Report?

 According to Dr. Jean Reynolds, a public safety officer or security personnel should familiarize
the four categories of criminal justice reports:35

Type 1: In this type of report the officer records information. He has no participation to the incident,
as he arrived after the incident, or such information was made in the premises of the police station. In
such report no action is taken by the police officer in response to the incident, he merely makes the
report. The police officer is dispatched to the scene to gather information and prepare a report
afterwards. For example, entries recorded in the blotter are considered type 1 report. Another example
could be a report made a police officer after receiving information about criminal elements in a certain
locality.

Type 2: In this type of report, the officer records information and takes action in response to the
incident. A good example is when a police officer makes an arrest, he prepares report such as
custodial investigation report or booking report. Investigations made by police officer must be well
documented, every action they make are recorded and reduced into writing. Such cases are examples
of type 2 reports.

Type 2 Reports:
a. officer takes action such as investigation, arrest ;
b. officer is usually dispatched to the scene;
c. officer thoroughly reports results of investigation, even when negative (may be useful later); and
d. disposition of evidence and suspect are important; therefore they must be documented, legal rules
must be followed in such cases.

Take Note: a negative report is one which is unfavorable to the police when released to the media or
other offices as the investigation may have been botched or errors in the processing of the crime scene
occurred along the way.

Type 3: In a type 3 report the officer becomes part of the scenario such as pursuing or subduing a
suspect. In such a case, the police officers have personal contact with the offenders and have personal
knowledge about the commission of the crime and its antecedents. The information he personally
experienced can be of great value during the investigation and preparation of evidence against the
offenders.
Type 3 Reports:
a. officer becomes part of the scenario, such as pursuing or subduing a suspect; and
b. all other requirements still apply explain arrival at the scene, results of investigation, disposition of
evidence and suspect.

Type 4: Officer is the initiator (sees, hears something suspicious and gets involved in the case). In
such cases the police officer must base his actions on probable cause or those reasons which will
engender a well-founded belief that a crime is committed and that he should respond to it to prevent
it from worsening or to subdue the assailants and bring them to justice. Police stops, such as stop
and frisk, chokepoints, routine patrol and the like are usual activities where a type 4 report arises.

What is Police Blotter?

A Police Blotter is a record of daily events occurring within the territory/jurisdiction of a given
police unit or command. It contains material details concerning the event for legal and statistical
purposes. This police blotter is an informational record book that is utilized for evidentiary or referral
purposes. 
 The Police blotter shall be a record book bound with hard covers and shall be 12 inches (12”)
by 16 inches (16”) in size. The front cover of a police blotter shall contain the name or designation of
the police force and particular police district/station, together with the designation of the specific
police unit or substation, the volume or book number, the series number and the period covered.

What are the Contents and Details of a Police Blotter?

The entry in the Police Blotter should answer the following cardinal elements of a police report:
Who, What, When, Where, why, How and the disposition of the case. In answering the 5 W‟s and 1H
and the  case disposition, all such material details about the event, including the names of the
suspects, the victim,  the witnesses, if any, the nature of the action or offense, the possible motive,
the place, the date and time  of occurrence and significant circumstances that aggravate or mitigate
the event or the crime should be  entered along with the identity of the officer to whom the case is
assigned (officer-in-case) and the status  of the case.

What are the following incidents or transactions, among others, entered in the police blotter?
1. Violations of laws and ordinances reported and/or discovered.  
2. All calls in which any member of the PNP is dispatched and/or takes official action.
3. All fire alarms, reports and information received by the stations; 
4. Movement of prisoners with corresponding notations on the authority for such movements;
5. Cases of missing and/or found persons, animals and property;  
6. Vehicular and other types of accidents which require police action;  
7. All personal injuries, bodies found, and suicides;  
8. Damage to property;  
9. All cases in which a police member is involved;  
10. All arrest and returns made; and  
11. Miscellaneous cases, general and special orders, violations of rules and regulation, and any other
reportable incident that the sub-station/station commander or higher authority desires to be
recorded.
 What are the Important Terms in Legal Forms?

Affiant - One who makes an affidavit. Also termed deponent. 

Affidavit -A voluntary declaration of facts written down and sworn to by the declarant
before an officer authorized to administer oaths. An affidavit (Latin “for he has
declared under oath”) is a written statement of fact which is voluntarily made by an
affiant or deponent under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person
who is authorized to do so by law. Such a statement is witnessed as to the
authenticity of the affiant's signature by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public or
commissioner of oaths. An affidavit is a type of verified statement or showing, or in
other words, it contains a verification, which means that it is made under oath or
penalty of perjury, and this serves as evidence for its veracity and is required in court
proceedings. 
Affidavits may be written in the first or third person, depending on who
drafted the document. The document's component parts are typically as
follows: 
1. A commencement which identifies the "affiant of truth”, generally stating that
everything in it is true, under penalty of perjury, fine, or imprisonment. 
2. An attestation clause, usually a jurat, at the end certifying that the affiant made
oath and the date; 
3. Signatures of the author and witness. 
Take Note: If an affidavit is notarized or authenticated, it will also include a caption
with a venue and title in reference to judicial proceedings. In some cases, an
introductory clause, called a preamble, is added attesting that the affiant personally
appeared before the authenticating authority. 

What are the Parts of an Affidavit?

1. The Header - Usually seen on the upper left of an Affidavit, it  
appears like this.
Republic of the Philippines) 
City of Quezon) S.S. 
Take Note: S.S. means SCILICET/SUBSCRIPSI. SCILICET means "to wit; namely"
while SUBSCRIPSI means "to write or sign below". Hence the above is understood to
mean, "Republic of the Philippines namely subscribed in City of Quezon". As you can
see this part of an Affidavit refers to the venue where the same was executed. It also
indicates the jurisdiction within which the notary public may administer oaths. 
2. The Title - The common title of an Affidavit is Affidavit or if there are two or more
affiants, Joint Affidavit. However, there are some Affidavits which has been designated
with a name such as Affidavit of Loss, Affidavit of Quit claim and Affidavit of One and
the Same Person. 
3. The Body - The body is the majority of the affidavit. It can still be divided into two
sub-parts. 
A. Opening Statement 
An opening statement where the affiant states his name, nationality, that he is
of legal age, his residential address and that he has been sworn to in accordance with
law. 
Example: 
I, Juan dela Cruz, Filipino, of legal age and currently residing at No. 2 Blk 13 Valley II,
Paranaque City, Philippines, after having sworn to in accordance with law hereby state
and depose that: 

B. The Statement of Facts 

Here you simply narrate facts. You divide them by paragraphs which you may
identify with numbers or letters. The important thing here is that you narrate facts
and not conclusions and that you do it in the most accurate way possible. 
The last of the paragraphs usually goes like this and it can vary but the meaning
should be the same. 
I attest to the truth of the foregoing facts and for whatever legal purpose this
Affidavit may serve.
4. Signature of the Affiant 
This is placed after the body. This is where the affiant signs his name. It
appears like this. 
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have set my hand this 13th day of January 2016 in Makati
City, Philippines. 
5. Jurat 
The last part of an Affidavit is a jurat. It is the part of the Affidavit wherein the
notarial officer indicates that the affiant has subscribed and sworn to in his presence
and that the latter has shown a proof of his/her identity to the former.  Furthermore,
this part is where the notarial officer affixes his seal and signature, notarial
information and the record details of the Affidavit. It usually goes like this. 
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 13th of December 2015, affiant
exhibiting his/her Driver's License no. N013654 valid until October 12, 2016, and
issued at Makati City, Philippines. 
Notary Public for Quezon  
City Appointment No. 206  
Until December 2016 Roll  
of Attorney No. 111 
PTR No. 123 IBP No. 456 
MCLE Compliance No. 222 
Document No. 2 
Page No. 3 
Book No. 4 
Series of 2015 

Take Note: A jurat is used when the signer is swearing to the content of the
document. The notary must administer an oath or affirmation to the signer in order to
complete the jurat. A jurat also requires that the signer signs in the presence of the
notary.  It is possible to glean this information from the jurat certificate itself. The
wording states, “Subscribed and sworn to before me…” – subscribed meaning “signed”
and sworn meaning that an oral oath or affirmation was given. “Before me” means that
both were done in the presence of the notary public. 

6. Acknowledgements  
An acknowledgement is used to verify the identity of the signer and to confirm
that they signed the document. They are not swearing to the truthfulness or validity of
the document, they are simply acknowledging that they signed the document. For an
acknowledgement, a signer is not required to sign the document in the presence of the
notary public, but they are required to personally appearing front of the notary to
confirm their signature. 
While it is important for a notary to understand the difference between the two,
notaries public are not allowed to determine which type of certificate a signer uses. To
do so would be considered practicing law without a license. A Notary can only ask the
signer which form they prefer; if they don't know, the notary will refer them to the
originator of the document for an answer. 
Many reports have various formats to follow, itis very crucial for a student of
report writing to be familiar with such formats and be acquainted on their respective
uses. The sample reports on the succeeding pages of this book will illustrate the parts,
form, and appearance of the report. Format is crucial in legal transactions. 

Foreign Phrases

The following list comprises foreign phrases which are frequently used in official
correspondence and state papers. They should generally be underscored in
typewritten matter.

a fortiori  with stronger reason; much more.

a posteriori  from effect to cause, from what comes after.

a priori    from cause to effect, from what went before.

ad hoc  -  as to this.

ad infinitum  -  without limit.

ad interim  -  in the meantime. (Not underscored in title "Charge

d'Affaires ad interim")

ad referendum  -  for reference; for further consideration.

ad valorem  -  according to the valuation. (Not italicized in English text)

bona fide  -  in good faith.

bona fides  -  good faith.

casus belli  - an event which is allegedly the cause of war.

casus - some action or event which brings into operation a particular

foederis  treaty of alliance and justifies one party to that treaty in calling
upon another party to come to his 
assistance.

ceteris -  other things being equal.

paribus 
coup d'etat  - unexpected stroke of policy or statesmanship’s: often accompanied
by violence often involves a charge in government.

de facto  - actually, in fact; indeed.

de jure  - rightfully, lawfully; by legal title.

droit civil  - common law.

droit de     emigration duty.

detraction

et sequentes, et - and the following.

sequentia

ex aequo et   -  according to what is just and good.

bono

ex gratia  - in favour.

ex officio  - by virtue of his office.

ex post facto  - from or by an artefact; by subsequent matter.

ex professo    openly, avowedly.

force majeure  - superior or irresistible force.

gotong royong  - collectivity.

hors de cause  - outside of the cause.

in extenso  - fully, at length.

in fine    in or at the end.

in flagrante   - in the very act of committing the crime.

delicto

in tot.  - in the whole; completely.

inter alia  - among other things.

ipso facto    by the fact itself.

ipso jure  -  by the law itself.

jus civile  - civil law.

jus gentium  - the law of nations.

jus sanguinis  - the right of blood.

jus soli  -  right of the scil: indicating the citizenship of a person by

the place of his birth.

lapsus calami  - slip of the pen.

lapsus linguae  - slip of the tongue.

lapsus   - slip of the memory.

memoriae

lex loci  - the law of the place.

locus standi   -  a right to be heard.

(a place of  
standing)

mala fides  - bad faith.

mali exempli  - of bad example.

mare clausum    closed sea.

mare liberum  - free sea.

modus   - mode of operations.

operandi

modus vivendi (plu. -  a temporary arrangement between two sovereignties

modi   providing for the conduct 
vivendi) of certain affairs pending negotiations for a treaty on the
same subject.

mufakat  - consensus.

mushawarah  - discussion; consultation.

mutatis   - with necessary changes.

mutandis

non compas   - not of sound mind, memory, or understanding.

mentia

non sequitur  - it does not follow.

opere citato  - in the work cited. (To be used only with the name of an
author or in connection 
with the name of the author)

parens patriae  - father of his country.

per annum  - by the year.

per diem  - by the day.

per se  - by itself; alone.

persona non   -  one who is not acceptable.

grata

prime facie  - at first view; on the first appearance.

pro confesso  - as confessed.

pro rata  - according to the rate, proportion, or allowance.

pro tanto  - for so much.

pro tempore  - for the time being.

proces-verbal - official report(s), journal(s), minute(s) of proceedings.

(proces 
verbaux)

quid pro quo    one thing for, or in place, of another.

ratione   by reason of the person.

personae

requete civile  -  appeal to the highest court for that court to reconsider its
own decision.

res judicata  - a matter that has already been judicially determined.

status quo  - the state of things existing at any given time.

status quo ante  - the state of things existing before.

ultra vires  - beyond their powers.

Latin Abbreviations 
Abbrevia  Full Latin Term  Meaning

A.M.  ante meridiem  before noon

c. or ca  circa  about, approximately

e.g.  exempli gratia  for example, for instance

et al.  et allii, et alia  and other people/things

etc.  et cetera  and so on, and other things

ib, ibid.  ibidem  in the same place

i.e.  id est  that is to say

loc. cit.  loco citato  in the place cited/mentioned

op. cit.  opere citato  in the work cited/mentioned before

P.M.  post meridiem  after noon

P.S.  post scriptum  after writing

Pro tem.  pro tempore  for the time, temporarily

Q.E.D.  quod erat which was to be shown

demonstrandum 

Sc.  sic  thus used, spelt, etc.

v.,  versus  vs. against

v.v.  vice the other way around

versa