One question on my mid-term for civil procedures says "what is the reason that the court requires a signature

Question

of the attorney on a petition?

Answer 1

Verification. For pleadings it is a verification that after a reasonable investigation that the pleading is nonfrivolous pleading based on a reasonable interpretation of the law or a reasonable extension of the law and not intended to harass. If it is a affidavit or declaration, then it is is to attest that all the facts are within the personal knowledge of the declarant.

Answer 2

Signature validates the petition that it is submitted formally to the court for consideration. Without the signature, the petition can be thrown to the garbage can.