Monday, August 16, 2010

Faulty Notary Information

Faulty Notary Information
I received an electronic newsletter from a notary organization stating that Va notaries do not a seal. This is not true and has been untrue for at least two years. VA requires all notaries to use reproducible seal or put carbon paper in a crimp.

Note: The notary organization has corrected the error on August 18,2010!!!!

Another organization stated you could renounce or negate or recall a notarization after you have finished a document and handed the document to the client.There is no statuary basis for this idea in VA. This means do not notarize if you have any question on the id or any aspect of the notarization. Always have an exit strategy if you find yourself in a hostile environment. Do not believe everything you read in print or on the internet. Refer to your VA notary handbook. If you are still puzzled, email me.

What does the Notary do if the client might be having a stroke

"Symptoms
By Mayo Clinic staff

Watch for these signs and symptoms if you think you or someone else may be having a stroke. Note when signs and symptoms begin, because the length of time they have been present may guide treatment decisions.

* Trouble with walking. You may stumble or experience sudden dizziness, loss of balance or loss of coordination.
* Trouble with speaking and understanding. You may experience confusion. You may slur your words or be unable to find the right words to explain what is happening to you (aphasia). Try to repeat a simple sentence. If you can't, you may be having a stroke.
* Paralysis or numbness on one side of your body or face. You may develop sudden numbness, weakness or paralysis on one side of your body. Try to raise both your arms over your head at the same time. If one arm begins to fall, you may be having a stroke. Similarly, one side of your mouth may droop when you try to smile.
* Trouble with seeing in one or both eyes. You may suddenly have blurred or blackened vision, or you may see double.
* Headache. A sudden, severe "bolt out of the blue" headache, which may be accompanied by vomiting, dizziness or altered consciousness, may indicate you're having a stroke.

When to see a doctor
Seek immediate medical attention if you notice any signs or symptoms of a stroke, even if they seem to fluctuate or disappear. Call 911 or your local emergency number right away. Every minute counts. Don't wait to see if symptoms go away. The longer a stroke goes untreated, the greater the potential for brain damage and disability. To maximize the effectiveness of evaluation and treatment, it's best that you get to the emergency room within 60 minutes of your first symptoms.

If you're with someone you suspect is having a stroke, watch the person carefully while waiting for emergency assistance. You may need to:

* Begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if the person stops breathing
* Turn the person's head to the side if vomiting occurs, which can prevent choking
* Keep the person from eating or drinking"

The mayo clinic staff did an excellent job of discussing the symptoms of stroke. The big question is what happens when the client postpones going to the hospital or refuses to got to the hospital. Building consensus with the client immediate peer group and stress the irreversible nature of a stroke would be an effective plan. If the client still has cognitive understanding of what the notary is doing, the notary may go forward with notarization cautiously.

If the person's cognitive ability fails leading to a failure to communicate, the notary should cease the notarization and call 911!!!!!

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Notary 's Name is legally changed

Notaries can get married or divorced during their term of office. The VA Notary Handbook has a procedure for this:

"Occasionally it is necessary for the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth to certify that a notary is properly commissioned to serve in Virginia. A notary whose name is legally changed during his or her term must indicate in writing the name in which the commission was issued.
For example, if Mary Jane Smith, a notary public commissioned on July 1, 2001, changed her legal name to Mary Smith Jones, she must indicate on all notarial acts the original name in which her commission was issued. Therefore the following language should appear:

“My commission expires, this ___ day of ___, 20__.
I was commissioned a notary public as Mary Jane Smith.”



By using this additional language, Mrs. Jones will avoid confusion over her ability to serve as a notary. When she reapplies for a commission, she may do so in her new name. If you have a notary seal issued in your old name, continue to use that seal until your notary commission expires.*