The Bureau of Election Services and Notaries took the following disciplinary actions against notaries public in July 2021:

• A Cambria County notary failed to keep an accurate chronological register of all official acts done by her by virtue of her notary office by failing to record in her register the notarization of a vehicle title and failed to maintain a journal of notarial acts performed that contained all required information by failing to record the full name and address of each individual for whom notarial acts were performed and a description of the type of notarial acts performed.
  • This notary was suspended for three months, immediately stayed in favor of probation; levied a civil penalty of $250; a probation assessment of $150; and must complete six hours of remedial education.
• A Chester County notary failed to require personal appearance, failed to include any notarial language on a document she stamped and signed, failed to record a specific notarization in her journal, and failed to record all required information in her journal.
  • This notary was suspended for 12 months, immediately stayed in favor of probation, must complete six-hours of notary practice and procedure course(s), levied an administrative penalty in the amount of $500; and probation assessment fees in the amount of $600.
• A Crawford County notary failed to properly maintain a journal of notarial acts, by not recording all notarial acts and for other notarial acts, not recording the time of the notarial act; a description of the type of notarial act performed; and the fee charged.
  • This notary had their notary public commission revoked.
• An Erie County notary notarized a vehicle title which had previously been signed by someone not in his presence, failed to maintain a journal in which he records in chronological order all notarial acts that he performed, and failed to provide BEI investigators with copies requested of his journal.
  • This notary was suspended for 18 months, 12 months of active suspension, followed by six months stayed in favor of probation; levied an administrative penalty of $500; a probation assessment of $300; and must complete six hours of remedial education.
• A Lehigh County notary failed to require the individual executing the signature on a record to personally appear before her and failed to make an entry in her journal contemporaneously with the performance of a notarial act.
  • This notary was suspended for six months, immediately stayed in favor of probation; levied an administrative penalty of $250; a probation assessment of $300.
• A Mercer County notary failed to require the individual executing the signature on a record to personally appear before him.
  • This notary permanently and voluntarily surrendered their notary commission.
• A Montgomery County notary failed to require that individuals personally appear before him when he notarized a deed with their signatures and failed to correctly maintain a journal of all notarial acts performed by failing to include in his journal the full name and address of each individual for whom notarial acts were performed.
  • The notary permanently and voluntarily surrendered his notary commission.
• A Philadelphia County notary failed to require personal appearance, to record a specific notarization in her notary journal, and to record all required information in her notary journal.
  • This notary was suspended for 12 months, immediately stayed in favor of probation; levied a civil penalty of $500; and probation assessment fees of $600.
• A Philadelphia County notary notarized a signature on a deed when the signer was deceased at the time the notarial act took place, failing to establish the identity of all parties to the instrument to be notarized, failing to keep and maintain an accurate chronological notarial register, and failing to give a certified copy of her register to any person applying for the same.
  • This notary had her notary public commission revoked.
• A Philadelphia County notary notarized a signature on an Indenture transferring real property when the grantor was deceased at the time the notarial act took place, failing to establish the identity of all parties to the instrument to be notarized, and failing to keep and maintain an accurate chronological notarial register.
  • This notary had her notary public commission revoked.

Do you need a refresher on your notary knowledge? You can sign up for our notary and motor vehicle courses here.

You can also find several educational videos on our YouTube channel.