Notarial Acts and Certificates Flashcards

What information must a notarial certificate contain?

Answer: The venue, date, notary's signature, and official seal

A complete notarial certificate must include the venue (state and county), date of the act, the notary's signature, and their official seal or stamp.

What is a 'loose certificate'?

Answer: A notarial certificate printed on a separate sheet and physically attached to the document

A loose certificate is a separate page containing the notarial wording that is stapled or attached to the document when there is no room on the document itself.

What should a notary do if a document they are asked to notarize has blank spaces?

Answer: Refuse to notarize until all blanks are completed by the signer

A notary should refuse to notarize a document with blank spaces because blanks could be filled in with fraudulent information after notarization.

What is 'signature by mark'?

Answer: When a signer who is unable to write uses an 'X' or another mark to sign

Signature by mark is the accepted practice for signers who cannot write their name, where they make a mark (such as an X) in the presence of the notary and witnesses.

What is a 'subscribing witness' in notarial law?

Answer: A person who witnesses another party sign a document and then appears before a notary to attest to that fact

A subscribing witness is someone who personally witnessed the principal sign the document and then appears before the notary to swear that the signing occurred.

Which document type most commonly requires a notarized acknowledgment?

Answer: Real estate deeds and mortgage documents

Real estate deeds and mortgage documents typically require a notarized acknowledgment before they can be recorded in public records.