It’s a new year, and depending who you talk to, a new decade! However, when drafting or signing legal documents, be careful not abbreviate the year “2020.”
Here’s why:
Today, January 2, 2020, could be abbreviated as 1/2/20. Unfortunately, as lawyers, we know that there are people who are not honest and who would do whatever is necessary to gain an advantage. Therefore, one could take a document that is signed on January 2, 2020 and add a couple of numbers after the 20 to change it from 1/2/20 to 1/2/2018 or 1/2/2019. This fraud could allow this person to deceptively argue that the contract was signed on January 2, 2018 or January 2, 2019 instead of in 2020.
As a result, it is prudent to be careful and not to abbreviate the year “2020” on documents that you create or sign. Obviously, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Happy new year!
