JUDITH M. SEKI
Notary Public
Call now: 626-673-3407
What does a notary do?
Every state has different notary laws, and California notaries must abide by the strict laws of our state. A notary performs two types of acts:
* Acknowledgment: The notary's signature and stamp means that you appear in person before the notary, you present a form of current ID (usually a driver's license), you are of sound mind, you understand and willingly accept the terms of your document, and you are not coerced into signing. A notary cannot continue service unless ALL of these conditions are met.
* Jurat: The notary's signature and stamp means that you have fulfilled the above conditions. In addition, you must make a sworn statement as to the truth of the statements in your document.
What can a notary NOT do?
A notary is not an attorney, and as such cannot provide any form of legal advice!
*A notary cannot notarize official records, such birth, marriage, passports, or transcripts. However, a notary CAN notarize your sworn statement that your document is a true, unaltered photocopy. This type of notarization is almost always accepted by agencies.
*A notary cannot "stamp" a document unless it includes the official California acknowledgment or jurat wording.
If this wording is missing, the notary will attach, sign, and stamp a separate certificate.
*A notary cannot provide any forms or letters other than their own acknowledgments and jurats.
*In California, a notary may not work through an interpreter. While complete fluency in the signer's language is not necessary, the notary must be able to communicate directly with the signer.
What are the Client's duties?
*All signers must be present, or make separate appointments.
*All signers must have current ID.
*You must fill in all required blank spaces, and bring the ENTIRE document with you.
*You must understand your document and be willing to sign it.
I hope these guidelines are helpful. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have further questions. I look forward to working with you soon!
Does a notary need an office?
Everything that a notary needs fits into one briefcase! For this reason, most notaries are mobile, conveniently meeting clients at their homes or offices.
Notaries who have an office do so because notary is a subset of another business that they operate, such as real estate, insurance, finance, or shipping.
