The Role of a Notary Public

Notary Public services include authenticating and legalizing documents for individuals and corporate entities.

A Notary Public is often required in legal matters involving an international element of a legal or commercial transaction. In many cases this involves assisting the parties with property, financial transactions, inheritances and documents.

Often the assistance of a Notary Public is required in relation to the documents to be accepted for use in a foreign jurisdiction.

Notarial services customarily include, assisting in relation to deeds agreements and wills for either real estate or movable property as well as drawing, attesting or certifying such documents.  The Notary Public usually does this by providing a suitable certificate  under their official seal.

Documents and certificates that Notaries are often asked to provide include: –

• deeds and other documents including conveyances of real and personal property;
• powers of attorney relating to real and personal property ; and
• note or certify transactions relating to negotiable instruments;
• prepare wills or other testamentary documents and
• draw up protests or other formal papers relating to occurrences on the voyages of ships and their navigation as well as the carriage of cargo in ships.