Sunday, December 18
How many times have you used the services of a Notary? In retrospect, I do not remember having too many things notarized. Of course there were my real estate purchases and perhaps an application here and there, but I really don't clearly remember anything about appearing before a Notary Public. In fact, I probably didn't know at the time why I was there. Did I have to swear I was Linda L Mitchell, or did I just say so, sign a book and pay my $10? ...Beats me...
That is why it is so important for our clients to understand what the heck we do and why we ask so many questions before we come to do a signing.
First, we want to make sure that each person who will be signing has the proper ID.
Second, we ask what type of certificate will be required for the document(s) being signed.
Then we will ask if the person(s) signing is aware of what is being signed. It is up to the Notary to determine if the person signing comprehends what is being signed and that the signer is not being coerced to sign. Chris and I take our jobs very seriously and will not notarize a document if we have doubts about either of these two factors.
Once we arrive to notarize documents at your location, we will take your ID and have you sign our journal. Then we will establish that the documents you are signing are completed, locate the signature areas provided, prepare additional acknowledgement or jurat forms if needed, and collect our fee. Once that is done, it is time for your signature. (more on that on another day)

Today is Friday, December 16, 2011
I just took the test for a commission as a Notary Public on Tuesday. I am told that once I receive my test results, the state will not be finished processing my application for at least two months (maybe three). From there, I must obtain a bond and my seal before I can perform my first official act as a Notary Public. I look forward to adding this service to the work I do as a Forensic Document Examiner.
As I was preparing for the exam, I was reminded that the sole function of a Notary is to help prevent fraud by certifying the identity of the person signing a document. One would think this to be a fairly inconsequential event. I am sure most notaries are accustomed to verifying the identity of strangers, accepting their driver license or passport as evidence that they are indeed who they claim to be. But because I am a document examiner I have a different slant on this responsibility.
I have had many occasions to analyze the handwriting on notarized documents. In fact, in a recent case I was able to determine that the signature on a notarized document probably did not match the known writing of the signatory, because the writer was impersonating the actual signer. So now, my job as handwriting expert takes on a whole new dimension. I must ask myself each time I "identify" a signer, will this document end up on an FDE's lab table some day?
Once I get my commission and begin notarizing signatures, I will update my observations. For now, I must patiently wait for our state agency to process my paperwork and for the DOJ to verify that I am not a criminal, and for all the stars to line up and...