Notary or Notary Public [fr. notaire, Fr., fr. notarius, Lat.], an officer who takes notes of anything which may concern the public; he attests deeds or writings to make them authentic in another country; but is principally employed in mercantile affairs, as to make protests of bills of exchange, etc. He cannot permit another to act in his name, and in London he must be free of the Scriveners' Company. See 25 Hen. 8, c. 27, ss. 3, 4; the (English) Public Notaries Acts, 1801, 1833, and 1843 (41 Geo. 3, c. 79, 3 & 4 Wm. 4, c. 70, and 6 & 7 Vict. c. 90); and consult Brooke on the Office, etc., of a Notary, 6th ed., by Cranstoun. The Court of Faculties makes the appointment in accordance with the Public Notaries Acts, and the Master of that Court has inherent jurisdiction to strike a notary public off the roll (Re Champion, 1906, P. 86). As to its jurisdiction in the case of the Colonies, see Bailleau v. Victorian Society of Notaries, 1904, P. 180.
In Scotland a notary public must now be a qualified solicitor unless he was admitted a notary public (English) prior to the year immediately following the passing of the (English) Act of 1876 (36 & 37 Vict. c. 63), s. 24. His chief powers and duties are similar to those of a notary public in England. And see SCRIVENER.
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