Notary Public Services

As a service to the public, the Decatur Township Assessor’s Office includes two staff members who are Notaries Public: Sherry Padgett and Karen Mowry. Our office provides the services of a Notary Public free of charge to all Decatur Township residents. It is recommended that you call ahead during our regular office hours to ensure the availability of a Notary.

WHAT IS A NOTARY PUBLIC?

A Notary Public is an official of integrity appointed by the Illinois Secretary of State to serve the public as an impartial witness in performing a variety of official fraud-deterrent acts related to the signing of important documents.  

A Notary's duty is to screen the signers of important documents — such as property deeds, wills and powers of attorney — for their true identity, their willingness to sign without duress or intimidation, and their awareness of the contents of the document or transaction. Some notarizations also require the Notary to put the signer under an oath, declaring under penalty of perjury that the information contained in a document is true and correct.

Impartiality is the foundation of the Notary's public trust. They are duty-bound not to act in situations where they have a personal interest. As official representatives of the state, Notaries Public certify the proper execution of many of the life-changing documents of private citizens — whether those diverse transactions convey real estate, grant powers of attorney, establish a prenuptial agreement, or perform the multitude of other activities that enable our civil society to function.

WHAT CAN A NOTARY DO?

An Illinois Notary Public is authorized to perform notarial acts that include an acknowledgement, taking verification, administering an oath or affirmation, or witnessing a signature.

When a document requires an acknowledgment, the person must appear in front of the Notary and acknowledge the document.

If an administration of oath is required of a document, the person must be administrated the oath and sign the document in the Notary’s presence.

Illinois state law requires the Notary Public to positively identify the person requesting notarization. Postive identification is defined as follows:

1. The person is personally known to the Notary
2. The person is identified upon the oath or affirmation of a credible witness personally known to the Notary
3. The person is identified on the presentation of identification documents. These include indentication documents that are valid at the time of the notarial act, issued by a state or federal government agency (drivers license or passport), and bearing the photographic image of the individual’s face as well as the signature of the individual.

Further, the Notary will not execute an incomplete certificate.

 

 

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Decatur Township Property Record Card