Notary Public vs. Full Faith and Credit

[Jaochai]

Once upon a warm, sunny day - today, actually - I was at the family home, and during a random conversation about wills etc, my mother mentioned that she might have to find a public notary. After a little conversation about what they were and what they did (both my parents used to be one), I realized that if it were not too difficult, it might make an interesting adventure to set out and become one, if only so I could put an actual profession on my business cards. Plus, in Louisiana they have many and various cool powers, like doing affidavits, marrying people, and the like.

But that’s just the thing. I was born in Florida, and all my papers and documents are to that effect. However, I conduct my daily life and circumstances in the great state of Loozeeyanna. From what I have learned, becoming an NP in Florida is easier than easy - you just have to observe a three-hour presentation on the computer, and fill out some forms. No actual examinations are required. On the other hand, to become one in Louisiana is shockingly difficult - you have you sit an examination that is only given twice a year, and from what I have seen it is actually very difficult.

So therein lies the question. Under the Full Faith and Credit clause of the Constitution, it seems like you can become a notary anywhere you are eligible to, and exercise your powers anywhere in the country. However, considering how radically different the procedures are here and there, and considering how stick-out-ish Louisiana is in general from the rest of the country, does the Dope community believe that I can get this certification in Florida and reasonably use it in Louisiana? I’m not trying to make this my chief source of income or anything, so I’m unafraid to say “I don’t know how to do that” if somebody asks.

In the Louisiana Notary Public Law, it says, and I quote

Oaths, acts, and acknowledgements taken, made, or executed by or before any person purporting to be a notary public, duly appointed and duly qualified in any other state, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia shall have the same force and effect without further proof of the signatures as if taken, made, or executed by or before a notary public in Louisiana. This Section is remedial and shall be retroactive. All oaths, acts, and acknowledgements heretofore made in compliance with the provisions of this Section are hereby validated.

Can I take this at face value?

[mks57]

I would think that a Florida notary public certification would only apply to Florida. Any document that was notarized in Florida would be recognized in other states, but you would only be authorized to exercise your “super notary” powers in Florida. This would be similar to other professional licensing.

[doreen]

IANAL, but what the quoted section appears to say is is that oaths etc, made before a notary in another state are treated the same as those made before a notary in Louisiana. For example, in a former job, I frequently had to send notarized documents to other states. Since the oaths were taken in New York State by someone qualified as a notary in NY, other states accepted the documents just as if they had been notarized in that state. That’s entirely different from saying that someone who qualifies in another state now has the authority to act as a notary in Louisiana.

[Dewey_Finn]

Based on the Wikipedia article on notaries public, they can marry people in Florida (as well as Maine and South Carolina) but not in Louisiana, although notaries there are civil law notaries “that can perform/prepare many civil law notarial acts usually associated with attorneys and other legally authorized practitioners in other states, except represent another person or entity before a court of law for a fee.”

[Gfactor]

@Florida statutes

Notaries public shall be appointed for 4 years and shall use and exercise the office of notary public within the boundaries of this state.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0117/SEC01.HTM&Title=->2007->Ch0117->Section%2001#0117.01

(4) When notarizing a signature, a notary public shall complete a jurat or notarial certificate in substantially the same form as those found in subsection (13). The jurat or certificate of acknowledgment shall contain the following elements:

(a) The venue stating the location of the notarization in the format, “State of Florida, County of _______________.”

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=Ch0117/SEC05.HTM&Title=->2007->Ch0117->Section%2005#0117.05

[Gfactor]

In case my previous post was not clear on this point, the answer to the OP is no, you can’t. Furthermore, it has absolutely nothing to do with Full Faith and Credit.

[Jaochai]

Ah. Well, ignorance fought. Doing it in Florida is only slightly more difficult than filling out the one-page form, and I’ll just settle for being all officious and impotently self-important for the time being.

Plus, post-nominal letters!