3 Occasions When You Might Need A Notary
A Notary Public, also known simply as a notary, is an attorney who is legally empowered to witness the signing of documents, take statements from the public, and certify that the contents of official documents are indeed true and correct.
You may ask: how is this any different from a commissioner of oaths? While it is true that a notary and a commissioner of oaths share many of the same functions, the difference is that a notary is held to a higher standard of integrity, meaning that their verifications carry more weight than those of a commissioner of oaths. This is an important distinction to make in situations where sensitive or priority information needs to be verified with unquestionable objectivity.
Notaries have to pass an exam to receive their status and specialise in drafting very particular official documents. When a document has been notarised by a notary, its contents are assumed to be completely true and legal.
You may need the services of a notary if:
You need an antenuptial contract
If you choose to get married Out of Community of Property, you and your partner will need to set up an antenuptial contract stating what assets, property, loans and debts you are each bringing into the marriage. A notary will not only draft this contract for you, but will also run a credit check and investigate your claims of ownership to prove that you and your intended are both being truthful about what you own and what you owe. This means that your antenuptial contract will automatically be notarised upon completion and its contents proven to be accurate and true.
You have documents that need to be authenticated
In some situations, you will be required to prove that a copy of a document is a true copy. In most instances you can accomplish this by getting your copy signed by a commissioner of oaths, but this method of verification may not always be sufficient. If you are in the process of emigrating, accepting a job offer from an international company or buying property overseas, you will be asked to have certain documents and copies notarised to verify their contents and prove that they are 100% authentic.
You need an affidavit written
Should you need to state something publically and have it verified without a shadow of a doubt, an affidavit drafted by a notary is the way to go. While regular attorneys are surely capable of drafting affidavits, an affidavit drafted by a notary is considered unshakeable, as its contents will have been investigated and proven by the notary in the process.
Are you in need of notarial services? Our in-house notary is capable of drafting the documents you need or notarising any of the contracts created for you by the rest of our legal team.