The Role of a Notary

"A Notary is an officer of the law appointed by the Court of Faculties whose public office and duty it is to draw, attest or certify under his signature and official seal deeds and other documents in such a manner as to render them acceptable, as proof of the matters attested by him, to the judicial or other public authorities in the country where they are to be used, whether by means of issuing a notarial certificate as to the due execution of such documents or by drawing them in the form of public instruments; to keep a protocol containing originals of all instruments which he makes in the public form and to issue authentic copies of such instruments; to administer Oaths and Declarations for use in proceeedings in England and elsewhere; to note or certify transactions relating to negotiable instruments, and to draw up protests or other formal papers relating to occurences on the voyages of ships and their navigation as well as the carriage of cargo in ships." (Brooke's Notary)

 

 

General

A Notary is often required to authenticate documents which will be used abroad. This could include verifying a power of attorney on behalf of a client who owns a property in other countries or verifying the making of translations for use in foreign courts. Foreign jurisdictions may require documents to be legalised. Legalisation is the process whereby a Notary's signature and seal is certified to be genuine. The methods of legalisation vary from one country to another