I’ve been subpoenaed to provide copies of my Notary journal entries where a certain person signed. But instead of asking for specific entries, the attorney requests all entries involving this signer from April 2006 to the present. Does the attorney need to give me exact information on what entries she wants or is she allowed to be so vague? Am I expected to search through my journals for the past nine years? — S.K., Orange, California
You must follow the directions of the subpoena for providing certified copies of entries in your journal.
If the attorney’s request is separate from the request for entries in the subpoena, the attorney must comply with Government Code Section 8206(c), which states that a member of the public requesting a line item from a Notary’s journal must specify the names of the parties, the type of document and the month and year the document was notarized in a written request. If the attorney is able to meet the requirements, you must provide a copy of the requested line item in your journal within 15 business days or acknowledge that no such line item exists (Government Code Section 8206.5).
Hotline answers are based on the laws in the state where the question originated and may not reflect the laws of other states. If in doubt, always refer to your own state statutes. – The Editors
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