Before RON, there were basically two ways of demonstrating that a person described in a document actually executed it. The familiar way was for the notary to take an acknowledgement with the signer appearing in person. The less familiar way was used if the signer was not able to come before an authorized official (perhaps the signer was at an Antarctic science station and personnel were flying in and out periodically). An ordinary individual would observe the signer sign, and then this individual, called a subscribing witness, would take the document to an authorized official, swear that the signer had signed, and the subscribing witness would sign a statement to that effect.
In CA, notaries are among the authorized officials who can do a proof of execution by subscribing witness and the procedure is described beginning on page 12 of the CA notary handbook. In VT notaries are not authorized to do this. |
