Who must verify the identity of an individual in a legal context?

In a legal context, verification of an individual's identity is often required to ensure that the person engaging in a transaction or signing a document is indeed who they claim to be. The most reliable method for this is through identity proofing conducted by a third party. This can include various means such as government-issued identification, biometric verification, or other secure methods that are designed to establish an individual's identity beyond simple assertions.

Identity proofing by a third party is essential because it adds an objective layer of verification that helps prevent fraud and protects the integrity of legal documents. This ensures that all parties involved can trust that the individual is accurately represented and that the legal proceedings are conducted with verified identities.

Other options, while they may involve identity assertion, do not inherently provide the same level of security and reliability that a third-party verification process does. For example, an attorney's representation of an individual may not be sufficient if there hasn't been direct evidence of identity, and simply relying on the individual to assert their own identity can lead to potential issues of misrepresentation. Therefore, third-party identity proofing serves as the most appropriate method for confirming an individual's identity in legal matters.