RI Notary Official Stamp and Journal 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A Rhode Island notary discovers their official stamp has been stolen. What should the notary do?
- Promptly notify the Secretary of State's office (Correct answer)
- Order a new stamp and say nothing
- Report it only to local police
- Wait to see if it is returned
Correct answer: Promptly notify the Secretary of State's office
Loss or theft of a stamp should be promptly reported to the commissioning authority, the Secretary of State.
Question 2: Why is keeping a journal valuable to a Rhode Island notary if a notarized document is later disputed in court?
- It provides contemporaneous evidence the act was properly performed (Correct answer)
- It transfers liability to the signer
- It guarantees the document is enforceable
- It replaces the need for the notary to testify
Correct answer: It provides contemporaneous evidence the act was properly performed
A journal entry made at the time of the act is strong evidence of what actually occurred.
Question 3: Which item belongs in a journal entry when a Rhode Island notary verifies a signer's identity with a driver's license?
- The type of identification presented (Correct answer)
- The license's full number and a photocopy of it
- The signer's height and weight
- The signer's mother's maiden name
Correct answer: The type of identification presented
Noting the method or type of identification is proper; copying full ID numbers creates privacy risks.
Question 4: How should a Rhode Island notary store a paper journal when it is not in use?
- In a secure location under the notary's exclusive control (Correct answer)
- In a shared office supply drawer
- With the employer's receptionist
- At the town hall
Correct answer: In a secure location under the notary's exclusive control
The journal, like the stamp, should be kept secure and accessible only to the notary.
Question 5: A signer asks a Rhode Island notary to skip the journal entry to save time. What should the notary do?
- Complete the journal entry anyway as part of the notary's routine practice (Correct answer)
- Skip the entry since journals are not mandatory
- Charge an extra fee to skip it
- Let the signer fill in the journal later
Correct answer: Complete the journal entry anyway as part of the notary's routine practice
Consistent record-keeping should never be abandoned at a signer's request, since the journal protects both parties.
Question 6: What information about the record itself should a notary capture in the journal?
- A brief description or title of the document notarized (Correct answer)
- The full text of the document
- The document's market value
- The name of the attorney who drafted it
Correct answer: A brief description or title of the document notarized
A short description, such as 'power of attorney' or 'deed,' is sufficient to identify the record.
Question 7: If a Rhode Island notary uses a stamp, when should the stamp impression be placed on the document?
- Near the notarial certificate after the act is completed (Correct answer)
- Over the signer's signature
- On a blank page before the signing
- Anywhere before the signer appears
Correct answer: Near the notarial certificate after the act is completed
The impression accompanies the completed notarial certificate and is applied only after the act is performed.
RI Notary Official Stamp and Journal 3
A Rhode Island notary discovers their official stamp has been stolen.
What should the notary do?