Posted by TitleGalCA on 6/23/05 3:21pm
Msg #47194

How often do you use credible witness'?

Thank god I asked the brw when confirming the signing about: 1) her form of ID and 2) did it match the name on the documents. Turns out DL was in maiden name, with no other ID that could be used for ID purposes of signing her docs. I kindly informed her of the need for two credible witnesses and fortunately it was no problem (crisis averted - phew).

Do you all normally ask this of the borrower (their ID) when confirming siging appts? I always do, just out of common sense, but never heard anyone here mention it here. How often do you all have to use credible witness'? This is a first for me - the credible witness part.

Reply by Anonymous on 6/23/05 3:27pm
Msg #47196

I had to once because the person signing did not have any form of ID. He was 88 years old.

Reply by Sylvia_FL on 6/23/05 3:38pm
Msg #47202

I have never used credible witnesses if the borrower had identification. If the ID didn't match the docs they would have to get acceptible identification. (We can notarize - with special wording - if the ID was in maiden name and docs were in married name)
But for credible witnesses we can only use them if it is difficult or impossible for the person to obtain another form of acceptible identification (other form meaning other than credible witnesses). I have had to have a signing postponed when a borrower did not have acceptible ID (expired!), they had to go get a new drivers license before we could do the signing.

Reply by TitleGalCA on 6/23/05 3:50pm
Msg #47205

that's the case here - current ID can't be used and no other accectable ID. According to the SOS, the credible witness both have to state that it will be difficult or impossible for the signer to obtain another form of ID (along with several other stipulations). Signer tells me that is exactly the case (about the difficult or impossible part), and SOS tells me as long as they meet the criteria that they outlined to me for using two credible witness', I'm good to go.

If the SOS says it's okay...okay by me too!! Just wondering how many of you use this. I'm thinking it's pretty rare.

Reply by janCA on 6/23/05 6:34pm
Msg #47246

I just had to use credible witnesses today. The borrower had his DL taken away because of a DUI. He was in the process of getting a CA ID card. Many times I have told the borrower when I call to confirm an appt. they have to have current ID. They say, Oh, yeah. okay. I get there and their license has expired or they think a green card will do. It's just very time-consuming, especially at the end of the month. AHHHH!

Reply by Sam I am on 6/23/05 8:53pm
Msg #47270

**I get there and their license has expired **

I'm almost positive we (CA) can use an expired CADL as long as it was issued within the past 5 years.

I had a signing earlier in the week with 3 brothers. Two of them had the numbers of their CADL within 2 digits. For example Z1180366 and Z1180368.

Does anyone know how the DMV assigns the number? I am hoping if they went to the DMV together that it is possible these IDs were legit. They looked good to me!

Reply by Gerry_VT on 6/23/05 7:38pm
Msg #47258

I once took acknowledgements from a classroom full of parents whose children were going on a school field trip to Canada. I personally recognized about half the parents and used the teachers as credible witnesses for the rest. This was more convenient than looking at drivers licenses. Vermont does not have specific requirements about what form of ID to use.

Reply by janCA on 6/24/05 11:26am
Msg #47454

I know that you can use an expired license if it's been issued within the past five years. Please. We are talking licenses that have been expired for 5 years, not "recently" expired. I even had one present me with a license that was expired in '92.