Bay Ridge Bank Doesn’t Know the Law
2014 Update: If you need a Notary in Bay Ridge click here
Yesterday, I went to get a document notarized. I drove on 3rd Avenue looking for an attorney’s office, drug store or bank. I stopped at several places that advertised they had a notary, but the notary is only in on Monday – Friday. When I stopped at Valley National Bank, I received some information that I had to question. Ya know, I can’t stand when professional people don’t know what that position entails.
I visited Valley National Bank located at 7726 – 3rd Avenue in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn to have a document notarized. The bank associate at the front desk, as well as another bank associate sitting inside the bank told me that the notary at the bank only notarizes bank documents. Apparently, the bank officials and more importantly, the notary public don’t know NYS Law. When the individual became a notary, he/she was aware that they can not refuse to notarize unless a person does not have proper identification. I was told by two bank officials that the notary only notarizes bank documents. This is incorrect and not only can your notary lose their license, but they also can be charged with a misdemeanor.
Here’s is the law:
Q: Can a Notary refuse to serve someone?
A: Only if the Notary is uncertain of a signer’s identity, willingness, mental awareness, or has cause to suspect fraud. Notaries may not refuse service on the basis of race, religion, nationality, lifestyle, or because the person is not a client or customer.
Notary must officiate on request.
The Penal Law (§195.00) provides that an officer before whom an oath or affidavit may be taken is bound to administer the same when requested, and a refusal to do so is a misdemeanor. (People v. Brooks, 1 Den. 457.)
http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lcns/lawbooks/notary.html
Valley National Bank needs to get their bank associates onboard! Not only is it illegal to refuse to notarize, it’s also bad business. I didn’t find a notary and I will need to look for one tomorrow.
Hugs,
marlene
Topics: Brooklyn | 10 Comments »
October 6th, 2008 at 2:02 am
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October 6th, 2008 at 2:33 am
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October 7th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
I wonder if SC has the same law. I went through hell for over a month trying to get something notarized, mostly because the person at my bank was either never there, or didn’t have the stamp. I went to other banks, and they wouldn’t do it because I didn’t have an account with them. It sucked, and caused me to get in a huge fight with my mom. Oh well, though. It’s done now.
By the way, I tagged you for a meme on my blog! :)
Wendys last blog post..Did Damien Start This Meme?
October 8th, 2008 at 3:04 am
Wendy,
I’m going to send this reply to you as well. In South Carolina, there are different laws and I didn’t see anything in the laws about that. These are the notary laws for SC. http://www.scsos.com/forms/Notary/Notary-Public-Reference-Manual-2008.pdf
Last year, an employee at a branch of the Anchor Savings Bank and another at a branch of the Chase Manhattan Bank, both in Brooklyn, were found guilty of refusing to perform a notary service because the applicant was not a customer. FROM:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C0CE5DA1438F931A25756C0A966958260
October 11th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
The small drugstore on 3rd ave between 79th & 80th (across the street fromt he hardware store) has a notary and they are very cool. Show your ID, hand over $2 – bang, your done and outta there
December 3rd, 2008 at 5:32 am
Actually you can refuse to perform a notarial service, if the person is or the certified notary thinks the person is drunk, on drugs or being obscene and rude.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:41 pm
Thanks so much for coming to advertise at my blog. It’s obvious that I wasn’t drunk, on drugs, obscene or rude. You just wanted to be an ass and post some BS so you could put your link here. I’ll be removing the link from your name because I don’t do free advertising for businesses charging people $125 for loan documents.
December 23rd, 2008 at 4:14 am
Thanks for the informative post. I had no idea that this bank would be so moronic.
July 7th, 2010 at 4:00 am
I love you
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