When I was taking care of my elderly father, there were a number of documents that needed to be notarized. My bank did not offer this service and my state had a standard fee of something like $15. I chose a notary in my neighborhood. I would call and make an appointment and we would work around his having to pick up his child from school. Very much a side-gig.
In BC , notaries can draw up wills and more:
This is a classic case of the common law/civil law divide. In the civil law countries (most of continental Europe, and legal systems based on that), a notary is a legally fully qualified person with a wide range of notarial powers. It’s a highly regulated and sought-after profession, because the income (a percentage fee of the transactions they notarise) can be very substantial.
I can (and have) certified copies of documents. It’s part of the job, really. Thing is, that I typically make the copy myself, though if the client brings their own copies, I’ll give a look just to see that the original and copy match. I do not attest to the veracity of what the document states, just that the copy is indeed is a true and accurate copy of the original document. As I recall (it’s been a while), the wording is, “I certify this to be a true and accurate copy of [document name and particulars].” Then I sign and date it, hit it with my name stamp, and seal my signature with my notary embosser.
Even before I had passed the bar, when I was an articling student at a law firm and taking the bar courses in preparation for the bar exams, I was automatically a notary. I guess the Powers-That-Be at the Law Society (bar association) figured that after three years of law school, we could handle it.
In Australia, a “Commissioner for Affidavits” or a Justice of the Peace, doesn’t have to verify identity. They witness the oath effected by the signature, and sometimes explain to you that the oath/signature has legal effect (crime, punishment, etc)
As in many countries, a “Notary” is a step up from an oath taker. A Justice of the Peace used to also be more important, but the other functions have been stripped from that title.
An affidavit is itself a significant step up from a witnessed signature, which is a step up from a signature. None of these inherently involve verification of identity. That is a whole separate process.
Let me see if I understand this correctly - they might witness a signature, they might witness an oath. But they don’t verify in any way that the person who took the oath and/or signed “Terry Jones” is really named Terry Jones?
What is “really” Terry Jones? When my ancestor worked at Cook County Hospital, Chicago, 100 years ago, people would often come in with a new name and no existing medical records. I myself have friends who adopted new names either at Confirmation, or just when they were old enough to choose their own clothes. If I’m taken to court here, they don’t care what my “name” is, they still make zero effort to get the name “right”. A legal declaration I make is just as binding, regardless of what name I put on it.
There are a lot of things that (now) require true ID in Aus. Marriage requires true ID. Property transfer. Bank account. But there are still a lot of things that you just have to sign for, or have a signature witnessed, or make a legal declaration for.
We are winding up our parent’s estate. There have been a lot of examples of all four types.
I was looking at American Identity theft law recently. It’s a defined crime, which includes the element of “unlawful purpose”. If you choose a new identity, the whole system of American government will assume that you do so for unlawful purpose, and you will create problems for yourself with Real ID, but just using the Name and SSN of some other person does not seem to be illegal: it only becomes illegal when you use that Name and SSN to steal benefits, or some other unlawful purpose.
My daughter was a notary. She only did it because she was a realtor and it was convenient to have a notary at the office. Virginia state law limits notary fees to $5. It’s not like you’re going to hang out a shingle and have people lined up at your door all day. You are not going to make any income like that. You’d be better off doing Uber or Door Dash.
(IIRC the greeting to Opal was called for when you only had two list items and needed a third, but the reference is appreciated.)
I think that maybe you are misunderstanding me or perhaps I’m not being clear. I’m sure a legal declaration is just as binding whether the person who signed “Terry Jones” is named Terrence or Terry or Salvatore and he goes by “Terry” or if it’s a stage/pen name. What I’m asking about is if I’m understanding correctly that no one makes any effort to make sure I am not signing your name to a document that is supposed to be binding on you , not me.
I’m not saying it’s not true ( lots of things that don’t make sense to me are ) but I can’t understand why a witnessed signature is better than an unwitnessed one if the witness doesn’t know for sure who the signer is.
It’s about the legal effect. Lying is generally not illegal at all. It is only illegal in certain specific circumstances. An affidavit is one of those circumstances.
A lot of it is just in impressing on the signer the significance of the document. People mostly, by and large, follow the rules… when it’s clear what the rules are and that they’re important. Signatures at all, and witnessed signatures, and notarized signatures, and so on, are just ways of emphasizing that the rules are important.
Exactly my situation. The bank became a pain in the ass with their scheduling. I want to run in, get something notarized and run out. Now I go a half mile away and use the UPS store. In and out and it costs something like 9 bucks. If I had to do it often I might feel differently but for the very infrequent times I need the service the price is worth the convenience.
Something like this (becoming a notary public) would, I think, require you to constantly seek new customers/clients. Wouldn’t you rather just get a job as an employee someplace, so you can work your hours and then just go home? Perhaps something like a retail clerk position might be simpler?
Am I the only one wondering why she needed 40 dollar bills?
mmm
My guess is that the only notary available that late at night was employed at a “gentlemen’s club.”
- None of my business
- Once, I ran to the bank for my roommate who was last second packing for his honeymoon because he did not want to be a deadbeat but also did not have small bills for staffer tips
- Hi Opal!
We thought it was strange too. It was for a girl scout trip, so probably not a gentlemen’s club. We’re assuming for tips or vending machines along the way.
Sorry; I missed that the need for forty bucks in singles was separate from the need for a notary public.
Ah, I thought the two needs were connected as well, hence my confusion.
mmm
OP wants a side gig to make a little extra case, not a job.