Posted by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 8/15/06 10:45pm
Msg #138838

Memorable closing

Strange closing today.

I was entering the borrower's DL data in my journal, which was upside down to the wife, when she started pointing at the journal. She held that pose for a half a minute while I checked to see if I had developed some sort of disgusting growth on my hand, whether someone had slipped an XXX rated photo in between the journal pages, or whether a tarantula was crawling beneath my elbow. Finally, she exclaimed:

"That's my mother!"

Turns out I had closed a reverse mortgage for her mother 15 minutes before coming to her house. She had been planning to suggest the program to her mother and step-father, after her closing.

It got a little bit stranger.

The house was actually hers, acquired in a divorce. When she married, she included the husband on the deed. However, she was only 59, not old enough to qualify for a reverse mortgage; her husband was 75. So, first thing during the closing, she deeded the house in its entirety to her husband, who was old enough to qualify.

While the husband was out of the room briefly, I asked the wife how many children she had.

"Seven," she replied.

"Wow!" I said. "You were busy."

Quite matter of factly, she said:

"My husband has 21. He was a baaaaad boy. Our family reunions are something else."

With that, I dropped the subject of progeny altogether.

Reply by Gary_CA on 8/16/06 12:59am
Msg #138850

Been there done that...

Not the closing the reverse mortgage part...

I was chatting with an older lady who had 17 (seventeen) kids. Being the genius that I am, I do some quick calculations about months and years and fertility and query...

"Wow that's just about all it's possible to have."

And she says, ever so matter of factly :

"Yeah, I had one period the entire time I was married"

INFORMATION OVERLOAD (I was younger dumber and easier to make blush back then)

Ask a stupid question...

Reply by AngelinaAZ on 8/16/06 1:13am
Msg #138855

Re: Been there done that...

Just don't ever ask "Who stole the sheep?".... LOL

It was a long time ago... but I still get the willies every once in a while.

Reply by Ernest__CT on 8/16/06 7:21am
Msg #138870

Umm, I hate to rain on His Hughness's parade, but ...

... it should never be possible for a signer to read the name(s) of the previous signer(s) in a Notary's Journal.

I cut manilla folders in strips: One strip to cover one entry, another to cover two entries, another for three entries, et cetera. The reasons for using manilla folder pieces are 1) They're opaque; B) the fold in the folder piece fits nicely into the center of the Journal. I use a binder clip to hold the strip to the Journal. Only once have I had to say "Please don't do that!" to someone who didn't grok the reason for the strip.

Reply by Regal/NC on 8/16/06 8:27am
Msg #138884

I agree with you Ernest.......

journal entrys should not be viewed by other signers.
JMHO!

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 8/16/06 11:54am
Msg #138935

Re: Umm, I hate to rain on His Hughness's parade, but ...

We've had this discussion before. In Texas, a notary's journal is a public record; upon death, resignation or removal of a notary, the journal(s) must be surrendered to the county clerk. As a long-time and fervent Open Records advocate (Texas has one of the best Open Records/Open Meetings Acts in the country) I have no qualms about exposing the entries therein. I take no extraordinary precautions to prevent anyone from reading it; neither do I go out of my way to expose it.

If you do business that requires action by a public official, which of course is what a notary public is, then you should expect those actions will be open to public view.

Reply by Signing_Doc on 8/16/06 10:41pm
Msg #139042

But in this day of Identify thefts etc, it is prudent to

cover up the previous persons information. If you use the Not Rot book, you have their address, dl number expiration and possibly other information which should be "not open to public inspection" If I'm called into court, (which I have been) I will either bring my journal to show the page which I copied and then show the page with the information not pertinent to the case blacked out. My book is open to public inspection, but that doesn't give the right to every tom dick or harry (no not you Harry) to ask to see whose in my book. I checked with my state SOS and according to the SOS in Nevada ..."The journal is open to public inspection. According to law, the only seven pieces of information that must be in the journal are: the fee charged (if any), the title of the document, the date the service was performed, the name and signature of the person whose signature is being notarized, a description of the evidence used by the notary to verify the identification of the person whose signature is being notarized, and whether an oath was administered."

So, based upon this information above, the only info I'm going to place in my book about a person is their name (no address), and I will no longer fill in the boxes in the book about driver's license, except for noting that I used a Driver's license, a state ID, a military ID. The rest of the information off the ID I will no longer be entering.

That will take care of any identity theft problems in the future. Don't know if this answered the question, but it at least gave ME some gnu found wisdom. "A waist is a terrible thing to mind"

"Doc"

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 8/17/06 8:31am
Msg #139062

Re: But in this day of Identify thefts etc, it is prudent to

Texas Government Code 406.014:

(b) Entries in the notary's book are public information.
(c) A notary public shall, on payment of all fees, provide a
certified copy of any record in the notary public's office to any
person requesting the copy.