A notary public in Outram is a public servant appointed by a state official. The general focus of his or her job is to witness the documents’ verification and administer oaths. They serve to deter fraud, appearing as an impartial witness for legal documents such as affidavits, deeds or powers of attorney. The presence of a notary public helps to screen for imposters and make sure both parties are entering into an agreement knowingly and willingly.
Similarly, legalization is the process of proper authentication or screening of documents or the notary by the high commission or the embassy or the consulate of the country in which the document is to be used is authorized to or located in Singapore. In simple terms, it is the official confirmation of the originality of the documents or we can say that document legalization is just the confirmation that the stamp, seal or the signature showing in the document is genuine and not a fraud.
Outram Notary Public Service Locations
A notary public is a certified official that is capable of acting as a reliable, impartial witness for the signing of important documents. A notary public is also able to administer oaths and may have other official capacities depending on the jurisdiction.
In the Singapore, most notary public charge a nominal fee for their services. Notary public dispense their official duties by marking documents with their signatures and a distinctive embossed stamp or inked seal. A document which has been witnessed by a notary public has been notarized.
Notary Public: Benefits The benefits of using a notary public are simple. By certifying the veracity of the signing parties, the notary provides an inexpensive way for organizations and individuals to enter into contracts and conduct business with a reasonable assurance that the notarized documents will be recognized in court. Using a notary public is a way to protect against fraud, as the notary is responsible for requiring the signer of a legal document to establish his or her identity. Although this is not conclusive proof of identity, it provides reasonable evidence of identity so that every day business can be conducted. A notary also acts as a disinterested third party for parties entering into a legally binding agreement.
Notary Public: More Info HISTORY The concept of a notary is as old as the Western concept of civil law, which has its beginnings in the courts of Rome. As the Roman legal system became more codified, the law courts became more and more reliant on the use of scribes for maintaining the court records. These scribes developed a system of legal shorthand, called notary. In time, a legal scribe earned the name notaries. The name has been handed down through the centuries, living on past the fall of the Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages, the role of the notary public was often taken by the clergy, who were charged with recording private and public transactions, as well as drawing up official documents.
ROLE Today, a notary public's duties are somewhat different than the duties of a notaries. In the United States, a notary public has been authorized by a specific body, usually a state government, to perform the services of a notary. These duties are usually confined to the witnessing of documents and the administration of oaths. Some states also allow notary public to certify copies of official documents
Two of the most common documents that a notary public will witness have to do with the sale or transfer of real property and the granting of power of attorney. A few examples of the documents that a notary public can officially witness include the following: - Acknowledgements - Affidavits - Oaths - Formal protests Some states give notary public significantly more duties. For example notary public in Louisiana are able to perform most of the duties that a lawyer can provide with the exception of representing another person before a court. Three states--Florida, Maine and South Carolina--allow notary public to solemnize a marriage ceremony. Some states will require the notary public to maintain a record of official acts. Although keeping a journal of official acts performed is not mandated by all states, many professional notary organizations recommend that all notaries keep records of their actions.
SIDEBAR: Legal Language Ever wonder why legal documents are about as clear as mud? The wording of legal document has to abide by certain customs and restrictions in order to have any binding effect in a court of law. This wording is called acceptable language.
SIDEBAR: Documents and Definitions Know your jurat from your acknowledgement? Here are the definitions of some of the common documents handled by a notary public. Acknowledgement: A legal declaration of an act. Affidavit: A sworn statement of fact Jurat: A part of an affidavit containing the oath or affirmation.
Becoming a Notary Public.
In the United States, each state is responsible for commissioning notary public to practice within its jurisdiction. In general, the requirements for becoming a notary public are relatively easy to meet. In most states, an applicant must be at least 18 years of age. Most states charge a small fee as part of the application process. Some states require satisfactory performance on an exam before commissioning the notary officer. In some states, the notary is required to hold a bond as insurance in case of a lawsuit leveled against the notary public.
What Does a Notary Public Do?
Many people may not be exactly sure what a notary public does. First and foremost a notary public can go by several different names: public notary, notary public, notaries public, etc. A notary public is a person who is an official who is sworn in, and bonded in the U.S. state where they are a resident by the Secretary of State. Depending on the state, the process of becoming a notary public can vary slightly, but for the most part is very similar from state to state.
The most common task, or transaction that a notary will perform is to witness the signing of documents, typically known as the execution of a document. The notary will verify that person present signing the particular document is who they claim to be. In order to verify the person's identity the notary public will check the person's photo identification. They will also confirm that the person signing the document, or documents fully understands what they are signing, and is not being forced (or also known as being under duress).
A notary works independently, is expected to use their best judgment, and to follow the state law. If a notary suspects that a signer does not understand what he/she is signing, is being "tricked", or coerced, is not of sound mind, it is the job of the public notary to refuse to notarize the document. By doing this the notary is serving the purpose their job was created for, to protect the general public.
A notary public may also verify that a signer has sworn to an oath regarding the affirmation of truth contained in a document; this may be more commonly known as a sworn statement.
After documents are signed in many states the notary will then place his/her notary seal on the papers. Some states do require a notary to have a notary seal, but more important than the seal is the notary's journal. In the notary's journal, the notary will record the name, signature, and the date of the signer that has appeared before them to sign the document, or documents. In addition to collecting this information, in many states the notary is required to take the thumbprint of the signer as well. This step is very important, because if in the future is ever disputed that a particular document was, or was not signed by that particular person, the finger print can be used as proof since it is unique.
You may be saying to yourself "this is a lot of information for me to have to know to get a document notarized." Well, there is no need for you to remember all this information. When you seek out the services of a notary public, they will walk you through all these steps mentioned above, and explain to you what is going on.
If you need to find a public notary, they can typically be found very easily during the course of your normal day. The first thing to ask when you receive documents that need to be notarized "is there someone here who can notarize these for me", if not they can most likely point you to someone nearby who can notarize the documents for you.
Other places notaries can be found are: Banks, Insurance Offices, Post Office, Real Estate Offices, Mortgage Offices, and the local UPS store.