What does the term "executing a document" refer to?

The term "executing a document" specifically refers to the act of signing a document. This action is crucial in legal contexts, as it signifies the approval, acceptance, or agreement of the parties involved in the terms outlined in that document. Execution often involves placing a signature on the document, indicating that the signer is formally binding themselves to its contents and conditions.

In contrast, filing a document pertains to the process of submitting it to a particular authority, such as a court or government office, for official record-keeping. Drafting a document involves creating or composing the text of the document itself, which is a different stage in the lifecycle of legal documents. Notarizing a document involves a notary public witnessing the signing and verifying the identities of those signing, but does not inherently include the act of signing itself. Therefore, while all these actions are related to legal documents, executing a document is specifically about the signing process.