Notaries public record matters of judicial importance as well as private transactions or events where an officially authenticated record or a document drawn up with professional skill or knowledge is required. Significant weight attaches to documents certified by notaries public. Documents certified by notaries public are sealed with the notary's seal and are recorded by the notary public in a register maintained by him/her. These are known as "notarial acts".
A Notary usually attests to legal documents with an official seal.
The professional work of a Notary is covered by an insurance plan which protects the public in most jurisdictions, but you should verify this in your own dealings with any notary anywhere.
Traditionally, notaries public recorded matters of judicial importance as well as private transactions or events where an officially authenticated record or a document drawn up with professional skill or knowledge was required.
Specifically, the functions of notaries public include the attestation of documents and certification of their due execution, administering of oaths, witnessing affidavits and statutory declarations, certification of copy documents, noting and protesting of bills of exchange and the preparation of ships' protests.
Notarial Acts
Notarial acts and certificates are recognized in countries of the British Commonwealth and some other countries without the need for any further certification from the respective Foreign Ministry or foreign diplomatic missions.
QUEBEC NOTARIES
A Notary in Quebec is not the same as Notaries in the rest of North America.
A Quebec Notary is a trained Lawyer who does everything but plead in Court.
A
Quebec Notary is a trained Lawyer who specializes in Wills, Real Estates and Marriage Contracts.
The Quebec notary is required to have earned a LL.L., LL.B., or B.C.L. law degree. The curriculum and options for the first three years of law school are the same for both future notaries and future lawyer/advocates. The latter leave university for bar school while notarial candidates continue at law school for an additional year of practical studies related to notarial areas of specialization, followed by one year of articling in a notarial law firm, and evaluation, after which the future notary is officially sworn in and admitted to the profession.
For full details on how Quebec Notaries function and the range of their services, refer to Chambre des notaires du Québec -- The Quebec Notaries "law society"
