Which type of legal document indicates the authority under which it was executed?

The caption of a legal document serves a specific purpose by indicating the authority under which the document was executed. It typically includes important details such as the court name, case number, title of the document, and the names of the parties involved. This placement at the beginning of the document sets the stage for the legal context and jurisdiction, allowing readers to understand where the document will be filed and under what law it operates.

Affidavits, while crucial in providing sworn statements, rely on the format and not solely the caption to establish authority. Petitions are requests made to the court but do not explicitly state the authority by themselves without a proper caption. Submissions are broad and can refer to any act of presenting materials to a court or governing body, without conveying the authority under which they are presented. Thus, the caption uniquely fulfills the requirement of indicating the legal authority tied to the document.