Posted by Notarysigner on 2/27/10 2:15pm
Msg #324541

Acknowledgment completion question..

When filling out an Acknowledgment, what method is the correct/preferred use when completing the document as it relates to …he/she/they ? Do you underline the correct ones he / she / they or do you draw a line thru the incorrect ones.? I did a search and all I could find was “ what I do “ testimonials.

What I am asking is, is there a correct/ preferred method? Answer hopefully from someone who knows. Thanks.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/10 2:39pm
Msg #324544

I think it's an individual thing...

I put a line through the non-relevant ones and I circle the pronoun that does apply.

I've seen lots of methods for this. Some people just circle, others just strike, some just underline or draw a box around the correct pronoun.

If you look at page 15 of the current CA handbook, they show a method of crossing out and underlining. I did that when I started out, but I found that when I was doing it, it was sometimes difficult to distinguish the strike from the underline, so that's when I starting circling. I figure that way, there is no question.

As far as I can tell, there is no prescribed method for this... but (as most things) is left up to individual style.

Reply by Notarysigner on 2/27/10 2:49pm
Msg #324545

As usual, thanks Marian..

looks to me like if it is, underline and if it isn't, line thru. That makes sense to me.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/10 2:56pm
Msg #324548

Re: As usual, thanks Marian..

That's how I started out... but when I would do it quickly, I got sloppy and the whole underline/strike thing started looking too similar. That's when I started using the circle/strike method. That makes it difficult to alter the certificate, too.

I almost wonder if the handbook only has the underline because the authors think they are limited with their word processing software. I mean, this is the State Government we're talking about here.

Reply by Notarysigner on 2/27/10 3:00pm
Msg #324549

Re: As usual, thanks Marian..

yEA...heaven forbit someone would make a slide and scan it in huh?

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/10 3:10pm
Msg #324552

Re: As usual, thanks Marian..

Or even easier, just use the little circle tool in Adobe Acrobat.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/10 3:09pm
Msg #324551

But then....

There was this time that I had transgendered signer.... that was interesting. This individual clearly appeared, dressed and identified as a female, but his ID was that of a male. It was clearly him, but as a male. The name was one that could go either way... but the DL said male, so I circled "he" and "his".

"She" got really upset with me, then went on about how he's trying to have gender reassignment surgery and such... and that he's living as a woman, so all of the paperwork he has must be "hers".

I actually has to call in to the SOS on that one... they told me that it had to match the ID (as I thought) and that it didn't matter what "he" was wearing or how he appeared, if the ID says he's male, he's male.

I could tell this person was frustrated, and I could see why. Apparently part of the whole process involves living as the other gender... and this document was meant for an entity that only knew him as a female. It was a really awkward appointment.

Reply by Notarysigner on 2/27/10 3:18pm
Msg #324553

Re: But then....

I have that a lot and I've noticed some apparent attempts to satisfy on the deeds by LO or TC. I have noticed for example it will say person instead of male/man or female/woman. I guess this issue will appear on the next ballot measure, that is, correct gender assignments on documents.

Reply by Notarysigner on 2/27/10 3:26pm
Msg #324554

Re: But then....

I just checked one...the supplemental escrow instructions said to show the vesting as a single woman but the deed said single person.

Reply by jba/fl on 2/27/10 3:34pm
Msg #324556

Re: But then....

"correct gender assignments on documents."

How will that be determined? DNA testing?

Reply by Notarysigner on 2/27/10 3:36pm
Msg #324557

Re: But then....

That's funny....I'm leaving right now! I don't want to be no where near the rest of responses to this post! bye

Reply by kathy/ca on 2/27/10 2:53pm
Msg #324547

I always circle the correct pronoun! n/m

Reply by parkerc/ME on 2/27/10 7:43pm
Msg #324572

Me too. n/m

Reply by Susan Fischer on 2/27/10 5:15pm
Msg #324561

Yup. It's in our manual - has to match the named person(s). n/m

Reply by MikeC/NY on 2/27/10 6:32pm
Msg #324563

Unless it's specifically prescribed in your state manual, it's a matter of personal choice - whatever works for you.

Personally, I just strike through the ones that don't apply - the last one standing is the one that counts... and even then I'm not sure it's all that important, at least not here in NY. Your mileage may vary...

Reply by LKT/CA on 2/27/10 9:47pm
Msg #324587

I strike and circle, though I no longer personally use all-purpose acknowledgments (i.e. he/she/they). I've made my own custom ack certs - one for a female, one for a male and one for multiple signers. A long while back on another forum, someone mentioned that they met three signers at the airport needing their signatures notarized - two had ID and the other didn't (he wasn't flying out, the other two were). The notary was concerned that after notarizing for the two and refusing the one, that they'd just write the no-ID person's name in the cert anyway.

After reading that I thought that was a legitimate concern (going forward) and decided to make my own certs customized.

.....acknowledged to me that SHE executed the same in HER authorized capacity, and that by HER signature......

.....acknowledged to me the HE executed the same in HIS authorized capacity, and that by HIS signature...

.....acknowledged to me that THEY executed the same in THEIR authorized capacity, and that by THEIR signature.......

Each cert has a different color border and the name line for the him or her is shorter. If someone tried to write in another name it would be an obvious alteration showing two names (one that doesn't fit next to the other) with the pronouns "he, his and his" or "she, her and her". Plus, I've typed my own name, Notary Public so the only thing I'm writing is the county, current date and signer's name, and at the bottom the type of document, number of pages and date of doc. Looks very professional and I don't have those strike outs and circles.

Reply by Marian_in_CA on 2/27/10 10:05pm
Msg #324591

Wow, Lisa... I like that idea! I, too, make my own certs... but I use an all-purpose one.

For me, all of my certs also have a unique "serial number" on them, which I record in my journal. It takes more time to prepare them, but it's worth it to me, and is a security measure. I have a manual number stamp that I use to put a unique number on each one, and in my journal, I keep a list of those numbers to cross reference.

None of this, of course, is required... but it makes me feel better about using loose certificates.

Reply by Robert/FL on 2/28/10 7:18am
Msg #324609

Another option would be to just reference your journal entry number at the bottom of the loose certificate, to tie that certificate to a specific journal entry.

Reply by LKT/CA on 2/28/10 5:16pm
Msg #324683

<<<Another option would be to just reference your journal entry number at the bottom of the loose certificate, to tie that certificate to a specific journal entry.>>>

Great idea, Robert!