Posted by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 11/3/08 9:53am
Msg #268905

Initialed errors

Packages often come with notarial certifications that contain alternative venue notations: "state/commonwealth of" and "county/parish of". I have always treated those as options, and lined out the one that is inapplicable. Since they aren't errors, but selection of an option, I have never initialed them.

For the first time, I just had a lender kick back docs because the lined-out option was not initialed as an error. The lender was adamant that it had to be initialed, even though the title company made the case that it was the selection of an option, not an error.

How do other signing agents handle the issue? Do you just ignore the choice, and strike neither? Or do you line out and initial? Has anyone else ever had docs returned for that reason?

Along the same line, some certifications offer alternatives on identifying signers: Personally known, documentary identification, ID by witnesses. How do you handle those? I used to make a selection by lining out, but of late have just begun filling in the nature of the documentary ID and ignoring the other alternatives.