Notary

or NOTARY PUBLIC. The title of an officer known in the laws of most of the civilized countries. Anciently, a notary was a scribe or scrivener, who took minutes and made short drafts of writings and instruments, of either a public or private nature, who made the notes or memoranda required by law upon various transactions. In modem times, his more characteristic duty is to attest the genuineness of any deeds or writings, in order to render the same available as evidence of the facts therein contained in any other country. Some of the chief duties of notaries are connected with mercantile transactions, as in noting bills of exchange and promissory notes which have been presented for payment and dishonored, the noting of a foreign bill being, like the notice of dishonor of an inland bill, a necessary preliminary to bringing an action upon it against the indorsers, and (usually) against the drawer. There are many statutory extensions of the powers and duties of notaries, in various jurisdictions.