Short answer
What you should know before deciding
Company name, commercial folio and power of attorney answer different questions; reviewing them together avoids signing with the wrong person.
Essential points
- Use the exact company name, not just the brand.
- Review registered acts and corporate documents.
- The position does not always imply sufficient powers.
- Compare revocations, limits and form of exercise.
01
Commercial name and company name
The brand visible to the public may belong to a person other than the person hiring. Invoice, tax certificate, deed and contract must consistently identify the same counterparty.
02
Registry existence
The Public Registry of Commerce publicizes commercial acts that, in accordance with the law, are registered. The consultation helps to reconstruct corporate life, but must consider office, folio and supporting documents.
03
Who appears and who signs
Administrator, manager, attorney-in-fact and legal representative are not automatic synonyms. The source of powers can be the law, statutes, assembly or power of attorney.
04
Scope of power
It should be reviewed whether the powers cover administration, ownership, lawsuits, credit titles or special acts, whether they can be delegated and whether they are exercised individually or jointly.
05
Final verification
Request the complete instrument, compare notarial and registry data, and relate the power of attorney to the specific contract. If there are doubts, the conclusion should ask for legal ratification or review, not assume validity.
Practical application
What to check and what to ask
Useful documents or evidence
- Sufficient identifiers to avoid homonyms.
- Complete and legible documents related to the purpose.
- Evidence of the source, date of consultation and status of the result.
- Clarifications and supports provided by the person investigated.
Control questions
- What decision should this review inform?
- What evidence confirms the data?
- What limits should be expressed?
Frequent errors
- Search without a defined purpose.
- Confusing a coincidence with a confirmed fact.
- Ignore date, source or status of the result.
Official sources consulted
Scope and limits of this information
This content is educational and does not constitute legal advice for a specific case. A match does not confirm identity; a lawsuit is not equivalent to a sentence; a publication must be read in its state and date; The absence of findings only describes the sources reviewed and does not guarantee absence of risk.
Availability, coverage and updating of records vary. Before making a material decision, allow clarification, preserve evidence and request specialized advice when the result depends on a legal, fiscal, registry or contractual interpretation.
Next step
Business investigation
ZLI verifies sources, reduces homonyms, and documents facts, boundaries, and points to clarify.
See business investigation →