Posted by Johnson on 6/8/05 5:14am
Msg #43100

Notrizing inside jails

Any one know any thing about notrizing papers for persons in jails ?. Im a notary and one of my signing clients ask me if I could go to the LA county jail and notarize a in jail family member signature on a document giving my client custody of his [person in jail] kids---- Whats the process to get a LA county jail signing visit , should my client get a atty. ? I cant give my client any advice on what kind of document to use , what ID do a person have thats in jail beside a name tag ? Thanks for any info you can help with

Reply by Kelly R/So California on 6/8/05 8:00am
Msg #43116

I've done this several times at the women's prison in LA, but only accompanied by attorneys that work with Social Services during visiting hours. Social Services is always involved in custody of children for those who are "guests" of the state, and it's quite an important process -- not anything that can be taken lightly.

You have to be careful with ID -- you cannot use the wristband in CA. It's unlikely that the deputys will go into the inmate's property and provide you with their ID, and that includes an in-custody ID card. I would imagine that credible witnesses will be necessary and they cannot be anyone that is named in the document you are notarizing.

As far as advice on what kind of document to use, that is not for you to decide - those documents are provided to the notary with notarial verbage. You just ID, make sure your signer understands what they are signing and notarize. I'd pass on this one if I were you, and tell your customer (I'm assuming the family member) they would be wise to coordinate with Social Services who will guide them.

Reply by maryinsocal on 6/8/05 9:20am
Msg #43130

I have done jail notary work. The ID wrist bracelet they wear is a proper form of ID. As long as the person that you are ID'ing is in custody .(It has a picture on it). Llook it up in Notary Law Primer book. It also depends on what state you are in to what laws they follow.
I Have never done a custody so I have no idea how to advise on that.

Reply by Joanie on 6/8/05 10:44am
Msg #43161

I agree with Kelly, just because the wrist band has a picture it doesn't make it appropriate ID.
There are other requirements that an ID must have. Go by your handbook first as there are errors in the primer.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 6/8/05 11:37am
Msg #43177

Re: Notarizing inside jails

*Go by your handbook first as there are errors in the primer.*

At the risk of sounding stupid - what is the primer? I blame the CA public school system.

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 6/8/05 11:43am
Msg #43181

CA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM!!!!

Sobbing here... Sorry for being off topic. I'm going thru hell and back with the SD Unified School District right now. I have 2 kids in special ed. One in high school the other in middle school. When Sam blamed the CA Public Schools for not knowing what the primer is, it just set me off and I want to SCREAM because of what I've been thru the past week and a half. And it's not going to end until the youngest graduates, he drops out of school, or hell freezes over!

Sorry Sam... I'm losing my mind here.

I'll go back into a corner and thump my head against the wall for the next 15 minutes.

Reply by christi/socal on 6/8/05 11:56am
Msg #43184

Re: CA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM!!!!

Can I ask what the school is giving you a hard time about? I had 2 boys in special ed too. They are both graduated now. I did have to fight a few times, but on the whole the people at their schools were pretty helpful. My boys are doing very good now, but there were times I despaired of that. Anyway if there is anything I can do do encourage you or help somehow, I be glad to. Oh and when your're done thumping--- excedrin's GREAT

Reply by Joanie on 6/8/05 1:02pm
Msg #43202

Re: CA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM!!!!

I really feel for both of you. I had a girl friend who had 3 sons that she had to fight for to get special ed for help. You would think after they found that the first child needed help it would be easier to get help for the others, but it wasn't. The sad part was both my children were in the gifted childs programs, we didn't have to do anything, they couldn't do enough for the gifted children. Doesn't say much for our system.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 6/8/05 12:54pm
Msg #43198

Re: CA PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM!!!!

Are you familiar with the Arc of San Diego? They are a non-profit that does lots of stuff with the developmentally disabled. Maybe someone there can act as a liaison for you with the school?

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 6/8/05 3:05pm
Msg #43263

Christi, Joanie and Sam

My high schooler is on track and will be graduating, but my youngest is a story too long to talk about. They are both in schools in La Jolla. The high schooler is ADHD and I've been fortunate enough to be able to get the help he needs within the school system. The folks at the middle school have been great really, but my youngest is ADHD, OD and has the federal classification of ED.

He's smart, hates school and refuses to do any work. He's always been that way. This is the third time it's being requested that he not return to a school. He's not disruptive, he just emotionally shuts down and the teachers are at a loss for what to do to help him. I feel the same.

With this being the 3rd school not wanting him back (he goes into 8th grade next year) I'm just ready to give up. I am trying to fight to keep him where he's at for 8th grade and then make a switch to another program/another school for high school. The school doesn't want to do it that way.

They won't allow me to "shop" the system to find a program/school that will fit him. My hands are being tied and I just want to cry (all the time).

Anybody reading this who's been thru something similiar, please feel free to email me with your insight. ([e-mail address]) I'm at a loss right now and don't know where to turn. My husband keeps saying I'm the best mom my son could hope to have. But I feel that I'm failing him and my heart is breaking.

Reply by SarahBeth_CA on 6/8/05 3:33pm
Msg #43272

Re: Christi, Joanie and Sam

Maggie, call an IEP in writing and demand action. If you have to stand over the teacher and physicaly watch her write it in make them assign someone to the task of finding a program that will fit your son. My son is Asperger's and I know how it is dealing with a real smart kid that will just shut down. When my son does they have him go to the resource room and have him work in there. The teacher is spectacular at getting him back on task thru a reward system. When my son was first tested Aspergers was suspected by his teacher (she used to work in a University program for children with disibilities on the spectrum), the psychologist at first was suggesting ADD, if it weren't for the teacher and the fact that I have a young daughter on the Autistic Spectrum the psychologist would have misdiagnosed my son.

Reply by MaggieMae_CA on 6/8/05 3:45pm
Msg #43278

IEP meeting is scheduled

The school broke the news to me 2 weeks ago and said they would do a "boundaries search" to find out what schools had openings in their ED classes. I've been waiting for them to get back to me. We have one and a half weeks left before school ends here for the summer. I sent them an email Monday that looked like an attorney wrote (that's my background) and they immediately scheduled an IEP meeting.

The problem is the District won't let me look at schools until after the IEP meeting. The IEP meeting is Monday, June 13, and school let's out June 17 (high school graduation is June 16 and my oldest is graduating so that's a down day for me) and it's going to be impossible to look at schools before the end of the year. The school year is going to end and I will have no idea until September what school my son will be "assigned" to by the District. I don't want the bloody District "assigning" him to a school! My son is prone to following the wrong path and the main reason I wanted him up in La Jolla is because there are less wrong paths to follow in that area. If he goes to our neighborhood school, I might as well hand him a gun and tell him to go join one of the gangs.

I wouldn't do that. It's just, it's such a battle to keep him on the right path and the location of the school he goes to does play a role in keeping him on the straight and narrow.

Reply by christi/socal on 6/8/05 4:14pm
Msg #43293

there is a program that might help

My oldest son was on it, I'm trying to remember the name ( I've got a call into the school to find it, but their at lunch) It is a bill that basically says if the schools can't help him they have to help you find and pay for whatever type will help him. schools don't like to tell about it cause it costs them money. It always seems to come down to money! .
My son got to the point of being phsically violent when in jr high. The school couldn't handle him after he threw a chair across the classroom. But the vice principle (for some reason) really liked my son and helped us get on this program.
You do have to push and push, be very aggresive, that part was never easy for me, but it's true the squeaky wheel gets the oil. I will e-mail you the name as soon as I get it and there are liaison or mediators (theres another term but I can't think of that either) that can help too.

Reply by christi/socal on 6/8/05 4:48pm
Msg #43304

advocate's the name I was trying to remember! also

I wanted to mention both my special ed boys are doing great. 1 is almost 25 and the 2nd is 21. They might have some learning problems but both of them have wisdom far beyond most kids their age ( beyond alot of adults i've met!!!) Also I e-mailed you with the bill name AB3632.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 6/8/05 3:41pm
Msg #43276

MM - check your e-mail :) n/m

Reply by hcampers/fl on 6/8/05 3:51pm
Msg #43284

You have mail!

I sent you something also.

Reply by Joanie on 6/8/05 12:50pm
Msg #43195

Re: Notarizing inside jails

Sorry Sam, It is put out by the NNA "California (or any other state) Notary Law Primer" It explains the handbook. But take liberties explaining somethings so take it with a grain of salt.

Reply by SamIam_CA on 6/8/05 12:53pm
Msg #43197

Re: Notarizing inside jails

OH - no wonder I didn't know what it was. An NNA handbook explaining the explanations given in the SOS handbook. Just like the telephone game we all played as kids. Something is bound to get befuddled in the translation.

Reply by maryinsocal on 6/8/05 1:13pm
Msg #43208

Re: Notarizing inside jails

ok go to page 36 of the SOS Notary Handbook.( on Line)..There it will tell you about proper ID...I am soooooooo sorry I quoted the law primer...my mistake don't worry it won't happen again...
but...be prepared when you go to the jail...you only get one shot to get the document signed in most cases. The gaurds don't like to have to bring the inmates to do something that trival (to them) more then once . good luck!

Reply by Kelly R/SO California on 6/8/05 6:06pm
Msg #43328

Hi Mary!
Hey Mary, the Primer is a neat source of instant info, but remember that it is published by the NNA, NOT the CA Secretary of State. If the ID does not have ALL the required info for acceptable ID and does not comply with CA ID requirements (Mary, the ID bracelet does not), then you cannot use it. Please Mary! Don't use the ID bracelet -- a photo in CA is not enough and the ID bracelet is not included in the list of acceptable ID's.
Johnson: Do Not use the ID braclet!!! Yikes!

Reply by TJ_CA on 6/9/05 12:48am
Msg #43426

See Sec. (4)(E) below -- it states that inmate ID IS a valid identification -- it just so happens to come in the form of bracelet instead of a card -- however, it must meet the criteria stated in first paragraph of Sec. (4).


California law states:

(3) Reasonable reliance on the presentation to the officer of any one of the following, if the
document is current or has been issued within five years:
(A) An identification card or driver’s license issued by the California Department of Motor
Vehicles.
(B) A passport issued by the Department of State of the United States.
(4) Reasonable reliance on the presentation of any one of the following, provided that a
document specified in subparagraphs (A) to (E), inclusive, shall either be current or have been
issued within five years and shall contain a photograph and description of the person named
on it, shall be signed by the person, shall bear a serial or other identifying number, and, in the
event that the document is a passport, shall have been stamped by the United States
Immigration and Naturalization Service:
(A) A passport issued by a foreign government.
(B) A driver’s license issued by a state other than California or by a Canadian or Mexican
public agency authorized to issue drivers’ licenses.
(C) An identification card issued by a state other than California.
(D) An identification card issued by any branch of the armed forces of the United States.
(E) An inmate identification card issued on or after January 1, 1988, by the Department of
Corrections, if the inmate is in custody.
(F) An inmate identification card issued prior to January 1, 1988, by the Department of
Corrections, if the inmate is in custody.