Notary Public Seal - Incorporate Personal Arms?

 
zebulon
 
Avatar
 
 
zebulon
Total Posts:  65
Joined  23-12-2013
 
 
 
05 September 2014 23:11
 

This is a question that’s more of a thought experiment than something I intend to pursue.

I, occasionally, have to notarize documents for work so became a notary public (I think I’ve notarized all of 15 things in the last four years).

 

Anyway, in the state in which I live - as in most states - each notary has to have a unique seal which is used for notarizing things and a sample of the stamp produced by the seal has to be registered with the Secretary of State. The seal must be a sphere of certain dimensions and include the words "Notary Public," the notary’s surname, and the date of expiration of the commission. These are typically inscribed around the exterior of the seal and the interior usually has a fancy tilde or other abstract design to fill the space (but there is no law prohibiting one from putting something else in there; the only thing that is specifically prohibited by statute is putting in something that would appear similar to the seal of the state).

 

So, setting aside any legal questions for a moment, from the perspective of heraldic custom, would it be acceptable in this instance for a notary to place his personal arms, estucheon, or crest, in the interior of his Notary Public seal?

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
Avatar
 
 
Michael F. McCartney
Total Posts:  3535
Joined  24-05-2004
 
 
 
06 September 2014 00:08
 

Interesting!  I recall that in Maryland each notary could adopt whatever seal he wanted; but in California - unlike your case - the notary seal always has the seal of the state in the middle so no option to try what you have in mind.

If your state will allow it, I see no reason not to use your own arms as part of your notary seal.  I suspect we’d like to see a picture of the finished seal if that’s permitted.

 
Jeffrey Boyd Garrison
 
Avatar
 
 
Jeffrey Boyd Garrison
Total Posts:  1006
Joined  10-03-2009
 
 
 
06 September 2014 19:07
 

Since no one else would ever use the same seal as you, I think it would be the most appropriate thing to do… GREAT IDEA!

 
zebulon
 
Avatar
 
 
zebulon
Total Posts:  65
Joined  23-12-2013
 
 
 
06 September 2014 20:36
 

So what do you guys think would be most appropriate in this instance: full arms, estucheon, crest, badge? I’m unsure what is customary for seals. From a review it appears:

- The Great Seal of the United States is simply the coat of arms in a sphere.

- The Great Seal of the Realm (UK) incorporates nothing of the monarch’s arms.

- The Seal of France also seems to incorporate nothing of the "emblem" of France.

- The Seal of the Vatican has the charges of the coat of arms set inside a circle (no shield, helm, mantling, crest).

 
zebulon
 
Avatar
 
 
zebulon
Total Posts:  65
Joined  23-12-2013
 
 
 
06 September 2014 20:55
 

Michael F. McCartney;102599 wrote:

but in California - unlike your case - the notary seal always has the seal of the state in the middle so no option to try what you have in mind


That’s interesting you mention that as there are several other states, IIRC, that have this requirement, while a number of others explicitly forbid the State Seal from appearing in a notarial seal. I’ve always wondered what is most customarily correct.

 

- On the one hand, the authority of the notary to seal documents originates with the state and the Hague Convention on Foreign Public Documents (to which the U.S. is signatory - http://www.hcch.net/upload/conventions/txt12en.pdf) specifically describes notarized papers as "public documents." So, it seems on this basis, it would be most appropriate to seal them with the seal of the state, or a modification of the seal.

 

- On the other hand, the full seal is customarily only impressed by the keeper of the seal (the secretary of state or commonwealth usually), so this would seem to be an argument against the legitimacy of multiple state seals.

 

As an unrelated aside, in my state it’s not allowed to impress a seal in gold leaf, but I think it is permitted in California if you request the notary do that, which looks pretty classy IMO.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
Avatar
 
 
Michael F. McCartney
Total Posts:  3535
Joined  24-05-2004
 
 
 
09 September 2014 02:28
 

Each State is literally a law unto itself, tho it would be interesting to see a summary of which states have which rules.

As to which elements to include, IMO simpler.is better depending on the size of the seal.  Shield only, or shield and crest, would seem best.

 

One quirk is the possibility of siblings or cousins also being or becoming notaries, which might require some form of cadency or differencing if the State law would not permit duplication.  Maybe a different crest would suffice?

 
mghofer
 
Avatar
 
 
mghofer
Total Posts:  46
Joined  14-09-2014
 
 
 
08 December 2014 16:33
 

Federal notaries (by virtue of my position, I am one, but haven’t acted in that capacity) have no formal requirement for a seal.  I have seen JAGs use a stamp with their name, rank, and reference to the subsection of the U.S. Code where they derive their authority.

 
Michael F. McCartney
 
Avatar
 
 
Michael F. McCartney
Total Posts:  3535
Joined  24-05-2004
 
 
 
09 December 2014 02:30
 

Joe may know or could find out (or you could ask), if incorporating personal arms or some other personal logo in a JAG notary seal would be OK, permitted but discouraged, or verboten.

My concern, if it were me, would be any negative impression by peers or superiors, from my doing something permanently visible in official documents they might see as deviating from the norm.  The military, in my admittedly stale experience, values individuality when it wins battles but otherwise not so much. smile

 

Of course there is historical precedent for officers using their personal seals on official documents e.g. GW, IIRC, but not AFAIK not in recent history.  For that matter, some officers back then also wore powdered wigs, but ...

 
Joseph McMillan
 
Avatar
 
 
Joseph McMillan
Total Posts:  7658
Joined  08-06-2004
 
 
 
09 December 2014 08:51
 

I don’t know, but I imagine it would be frowned upon.  It would certainly be inappropriate in symbolic terms, in my opinion.  A notary isn’t sealing something in his own person, he’s sealing it as an officer of the government that commissioned him.