What are General and Specific Powers of Attorney?
A power of attorney can be general or specific. A general power of attorney could be unlimited in scope and can give the agent the authority to act as legal representative in a broad range of matters. Specific power of attorney, on the other hand, is limited in scope and can be used to give the agent the authority to act as a legal representative of the principal in a specific transaction or area. For instance, a specific power of attorney can be used to give the agent the authority to act as a legal representative and, therefore, execute documents on behalf of the principal in a particular real estate transaction. Does the agent have to be a licensed attorney? The name “Power of Attorney” may lead few to believe that the person being given the authority to act on behalf of the principal must be a licensed attorney. In reality, however, this is not true. None of the fifty states has a requirement for the agent to be a practicing attorney. When is a power of attorney terminated? How lon
