The Many Duties Of A Notary Public In Concord CA

By Kimberly Powell


In days now long gone people used to make arrangements, enter into agreements and finalized transactions with nothing more than a handshake and a certainty that the word of a man is sacred. In this day and age, however, nobody trusts anyone else. When agreements are made, transactions concluded or promises made, it is done so in writing. Even that is not enough. These documents need to be notarized and witnessed. This is why a notary public in Concord CA is so often required.

Notaries have an old history, dating back to the times of early Rome where they slowly evolved from mere scribes to officials with many other responsibilities. The witnessed negotiations, recorded speeches and judicial proceedings and they served as official witnesses at many events. Modern notaries do much the same but they are appointed by the courts or the justice department. Appointments can be life log or temporary.

One of the most common tasks performed by notaries is to certify copies as true reflections of the original document. They administer oaths regularly, making sure that the individual swearing the oath knows that criminal charges can be laid if a person lies when under oath. An oath is a solemn promise, often calling upon God as a witness, that the person will speak the truth.

Taking down depositions and affidavits is another important task performed by notaries. With affidavits, a statement is made but a deposition is more like an interview with questions and answers. These are often used by attorneys to help them understand exactly what potential witnesses in court saw, experienced, done or heard. These can be lengthy and time consuming and that is why some notaries are also qualified stenographers.

It has become customary to ask notaries to act as official witnesses during important discussions and negotiations. In these cases notaries record the discussions and the decisions made, the resolutions accepted and the terms and conditions to which the parties agree. They will then notarize the final documents and this will serve as proof that the document is a true reflection of what took place during the negotiations or discussions.

Certain events, such as world record attempts, will only be officially recognized if the proceedings are notarized. The task of notaries in these instances is to make sure that all the rules are followed to the letter. They will also record the outcome of the event or attempt. Sometimes the courts also ask notaries to act as witness that court orders were carried out exactly as instructed.

The records that all notaries are required to keep serve several important purposes. In cases where disputes arise, these records often serve to clarify matters. The records of notaries are not easily disregarded by the courts and they actually serve to prevent such disputes from arising in the first instance. In a certain sense, notaries serve as official and highly respected witnesses.

Notaries play an important role within the bigger justice system. They are individuals deemed to be above reproach, that maintain a high level of integrity and to be above any form of corruption or graft. It is, in fact, a great honour to be appointed in such a position.




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