Tweet
My co-worker and I are California Notaries Public, and we work in a retail store that offers notary services. For anyone who doesn’t know, there are very specific laws about what / how a document can be notarized, especially in California. Every state has different notary laws. In California, we are only allowed to place our seal beside a very specific paragraph. If the wording is incorrect, we cannot notarize the document; either it will be rejected by the recording office, or we may be liable for any legal repercussions resulting from an incorrectly done notary. Which is an undesirable circumstance for us. In simple equation form:
Good paragraph = good notary seal = everyone happy.
Incorrect/outdated/illegible wording = no seal = pissy customer
The following isn’t word for word but it’s close. Enter: Know-It-All- Old –Bag, whom for my purposes here I shall call KOB.
KOB: “I need this notarized and faxed, please.” **hands document to co-worker**
Co-worker: **looks over document** “Alright, I can notarize this, but I’ll have to attach a California acknowledgement sheet because the wording here is incorrect. “
KOB: **in a condescending tone** “Just put your seal here on this page please, where it says ‘seal.’”
Co-worker: “I’m sorry ma’am, but by law I am only allowed to affix my seal beside this specific wording here.” **shows KOB an acknowledgement sheet and aforementioned required wording**
KOB: “That doesn’t help me much because this document is what needs to be notarized.”
Co-worker: “I understand that. When I attach this sheet it’s legally the same as putting my seal on this page.”
KOB: “No.”
Co-worker: …
KOB: “Now if you could just put your seal here I’m kind of in a hurry.”
Co-worker: “I’m sorry but I can’t do that, ma’am.” **explains the law again**
KOB: “THIS page needs to be notarized.”
**repeat this exchange 2 more times**
KOB: “I can see I’m not getting anywhere with you. Look, I was a notary for 15 years. You are obviously too young and inexperienced to know how to do this.” She then looks over at me (I’ve been watching this exchange with interest, pretty much knowing where it was headed) and says, “Maybe you know what you’re doing.”
Bitch!
Me: **explains notary laws again to no avail** I then offer to call the NNA (National Notary Association. They offer support to Notaries with questions and I figure if she hears it from someone else she might agree to do it right or just go away) to ensure that we are in fact correct.
KOB: “This is such a waste of time. I can’t believe this. Fine, go ahead but I’m in a hurry.”
She’s got one hell of a stare. Her eyes bore holes into my face. I wait on hold with the NNA while she glares at me, without blinking once, for like 5 mins. I try not to look at her but she’s kinda hard to ignore. Imagine a fat version of Old Mother Goose with a pair of buggy fish eyeballs. I begin to wonder if she has no eyelids.
When I speak with the NNA I am of course informed I cannot notarize the document without attaching the acknowledgement sheet. The NNA lady also informs me that if I do not know the answer to that question I shouldn’t be a Notary. Sigh.
Me: (for the 99985497534th time) “Yes. I’m sorry ma’am, the NNA has confirmed that we will not be able to notarize this without the correct wording, we can attach a separate form, and blah blah blah.”
KOB: **gets upset** “Fine! Just do whatever then! If this gets done wrong I’m going to sue!”
Me: “In that case I think it best we don’t notarize this for you. And I think you should know it’s a federal crime to threaten or coerce a Notary. Have a nice day.”
KOB: **looks at me like I’m the foulest, slimiest, stupidest abomination in existence** “Unbelievable.”
**storms out**
Exit KOB. An hour later we get a call from her lawyer telling us we should have notarized it and that the wording is correct and she knows what she’s talking about cuz she’s a Notary and blah blah blah. My co-worker informs her that if she (the lawyer) is a Notary and she’s sure its correct she can notarize it herself. To which my co-worker is promptly hung up on.
The mystery of the missing eyelids may never be solved.
Good paragraph = good notary seal = everyone happy.
Incorrect/outdated/illegible wording = no seal = pissy customer
The following isn’t word for word but it’s close. Enter: Know-It-All- Old –Bag, whom for my purposes here I shall call KOB.
KOB: “I need this notarized and faxed, please.” **hands document to co-worker**
Co-worker: **looks over document** “Alright, I can notarize this, but I’ll have to attach a California acknowledgement sheet because the wording here is incorrect. “
KOB: **in a condescending tone** “Just put your seal here on this page please, where it says ‘seal.’”
Co-worker: “I’m sorry ma’am, but by law I am only allowed to affix my seal beside this specific wording here.” **shows KOB an acknowledgement sheet and aforementioned required wording**
KOB: “That doesn’t help me much because this document is what needs to be notarized.”
Co-worker: “I understand that. When I attach this sheet it’s legally the same as putting my seal on this page.”
KOB: “No.”
Co-worker: …
KOB: “Now if you could just put your seal here I’m kind of in a hurry.”
Co-worker: “I’m sorry but I can’t do that, ma’am.” **explains the law again**
KOB: “THIS page needs to be notarized.”
**repeat this exchange 2 more times**
KOB: “I can see I’m not getting anywhere with you. Look, I was a notary for 15 years. You are obviously too young and inexperienced to know how to do this.” She then looks over at me (I’ve been watching this exchange with interest, pretty much knowing where it was headed) and says, “Maybe you know what you’re doing.”
Bitch!
Me: **explains notary laws again to no avail** I then offer to call the NNA (National Notary Association. They offer support to Notaries with questions and I figure if she hears it from someone else she might agree to do it right or just go away) to ensure that we are in fact correct.
KOB: “This is such a waste of time. I can’t believe this. Fine, go ahead but I’m in a hurry.”
She’s got one hell of a stare. Her eyes bore holes into my face. I wait on hold with the NNA while she glares at me, without blinking once, for like 5 mins. I try not to look at her but she’s kinda hard to ignore. Imagine a fat version of Old Mother Goose with a pair of buggy fish eyeballs. I begin to wonder if she has no eyelids.
When I speak with the NNA I am of course informed I cannot notarize the document without attaching the acknowledgement sheet. The NNA lady also informs me that if I do not know the answer to that question I shouldn’t be a Notary. Sigh.
Me: (for the 99985497534th time) “Yes. I’m sorry ma’am, the NNA has confirmed that we will not be able to notarize this without the correct wording, we can attach a separate form, and blah blah blah.”
KOB: **gets upset** “Fine! Just do whatever then! If this gets done wrong I’m going to sue!”
Me: “In that case I think it best we don’t notarize this for you. And I think you should know it’s a federal crime to threaten or coerce a Notary. Have a nice day.”
KOB: **looks at me like I’m the foulest, slimiest, stupidest abomination in existence** “Unbelievable.”
**storms out**
Exit KOB. An hour later we get a call from her lawyer telling us we should have notarized it and that the wording is correct and she knows what she’s talking about cuz she’s a Notary and blah blah blah. My co-worker informs her that if she (the lawyer) is a Notary and she’s sure its correct she can notarize it herself. To which my co-worker is promptly hung up on.
The mystery of the missing eyelids may never be solved.
Comment