WHAT IS A NOTARY?

An English Notary Public may be described as a specialist lawyer whose main business is to verify the proper execution of English documentation going abroad and, where necessary to issue an appropriate Certificate. That certificate or in some cases the original document itself will be signed by the Notary and he will also attach his Notarial Seal of Office, which is personal to him and totally unique.

This is a formal procedure, and necessarily, so, for what the Notary says and so certifies will be relied upon throughout the world.

An English Notary Public is a member of the smallest, but, oldest branch of the legal profession and is appointed by the profession's own Court, which is known as the Court of Faculties.

There are three types of Notary namely Ecclesiastical Notaries - concerned mainly with church affairs; Scrivener Notaries - concerned in business solely as Notaries and not as part of any other profession and exclusively centred in the cities of London and Westminster and, Notaries Public or General Notaries. In practise you are more likely to come into contact with a Public or General Notary than the other types.

Most Public Notaries or General Notaries are also solicitors and most main towns with a number of solicitor's offices will also have a Notary. However, there are some specialists Notary businesses, even outside Central London, and the offices of
John W. Saunders-Notary Public is one of those businesses.