Once you’ve filled out all those fields on your legal documents – front and back! – it’s time to sign your X on the line, right? Not quite. For many legal documents, especially court filings, you’ll need to notarize it at the same time as signing. It may seem like a small and unimportant step, but this is crucial for ensuring the court or government accepts your paperwork.
What Does it Mean to Notarize Legal Documents?
Notarizing is a process in which an objective, state licensed person bears witness to a document’s signing. Notaries are expected to verify the identity of the person signing a document to ensure the signers are mentally capable of understanding their paperwork. This becomes especially important when dealing with binding documents like contracts, divorce documents, child custody arrangements, and other formal agreements. Notaries’ duties include analyzing the mental state of a signer before they legally agree to anything. If a signer appears to be in mental distress, seems intimidated, or lacks the ability to grasp the contents of an agreement, a notary can refuse to notarize legal documents.
During the process of notarization, a notary checks identification, asks if a signer understands what they’re signing, and will sign, date, and stamp the document themselves. This serves as visual confirmation that an objective third party saw the person listed sign.
What Do I Need to Bring to My Notary Appointment?
Notary appointments are fast and simple. Before you notarize any legal documents, make sure you have completed the document entirely except for the signing and dating portion. Generally, notaries are simply there to verify your signature, not help with completion. Without a fully completed document, many notaries will ask you to return once you’ve finished. You will also need photo identification with your name and birthdate. A driver’s license or passport works well for this use. Notaries also charge a small fee before they notarize your legal documents. Come prepared to pay with cash or card.
Convenient Notary Services in the Inland Empire
Notaries serve a simple yet important function to protect the rights of individuals signing legally binding paperwork. Though anyone can become licensed as a notary, it can be faster and easier to enlist help completing and notarizing your document from a professional. ProSe Legal’s legal document assistants are licensed notaries in the State of California. They can both help you complete and notarize all your legal documents for far less than a lawyer.
If you need help finishing and notarizing your legal paperwork, today or call (909) 224-4361 to schedule your appointment!
