NOT an attorney and not familiar with specific NJ will executions, but I think you should call the Surrogate Court (aka Probate Court).
Will executions in New Jersey require TWO witnesses, who can appear before the notary. For example, in CT two witnesses sign that they saw the will signed and THEN the notary takes sworn statements from each witness that s/he saw the testator sign the will - a "self-proving affidavit" so that the witnesses do not have to appear at the Probate Court when the Will is admitted after the signer's death, swearing "... on May 1, 1998, I saw Joe Smith sign this will and that is my signature."
My GUESS, only because you state "NJ is not a witness state," is that you need to appear at the Court to swear that you witnessed the signing of her dad's will; i.e., a "witness proof" because the will execution section wasn't completed completely.
NOT a criticism; these things happen often with DIY wills and trusts where the person making the request doesn't read the execution instructions ... and didn't hand them to the notary for review, as well. I ALWAYS ask if the signer will have 2 witnesses available; reply, "Oh, I need witnesses?" The person rarely looks at the notarization page that clearly shows a space to enter the names of two witnesses (too much legal stuff) and "left that page to you, because you're the notary and know what to do." At least in your case it was recent. |
