Лекторка докладно проаналізувала разом з учасниками розкриття мови нотаріальних документів, а саме:

1. Вступ.

1.1. Роль нотаріуса в правовій системі.

1.2. Значення мови у нотаріальних діях.

1.3. Нотаріуси у світі: порівняння моделей Civil Law countries vs Common Law countries.

2. Основні характеристики мови нотаріальних документів.

3. Типові нотаріальні документи та їх структура.

3.1. Power of Attorney (довіреність).

3.2. Will & Testament (заповіт).

3.3. Deed of Sale (договір купівлі-продажу).

3.4. Certificate of Inheritance (свідоцтво про право на спадщину).

4. Ключові терміни та сталі вирази за темою заходу.

5. “Do’s & Don’ts” у перекладі нотаріальних документів.

6. Питання-відповіді.

У рамках характеристики нотаріальних документів акцентовано на наступному:

1. Introduction

1.1. The Role of a Notary in the Legal System

A notary is defined as: “a legally authorised professional who verifies the authenticity of documents, certifies the identity and intent of the parties, and ensures compliance with legal requirements.”

The core verbs describing the notary’s role are:

• to verify,

• to authenticate,

• to ensure.

The presentation also highlights five key characteristics of a notary:

1. Trust – ensuring reliability and legal certainty.

2. Certification – confirming legality and formal validity.

3. Authenticity – confirming that documents and signatures are genuine.

4. Witness – observing and attesting to legal acts.

5. Authority – legal power granted by the state.

Additionally, a key concept from the slides states: “A notary is the custodian of certainty in a world built on promises.”

1.2. The Importance of Language in Notarial Acts

Notarial language requires:

• Formality and precision:

(Formal style, avoidance of ambiguity, highly structured language.)

• Use of passive voice where actions matter more than the actor.

Examples:

1. “The document was executed…”

2. “The signature was acknowledged…”

• Technical vocabulary (affidavit, executor, acknowledgment, deed).
  

• Absolute accuracy of names, dates, document details.
  

• Modal verbs with legal effect (shall, may, must).

1.3. Notaries Worldwide: Civil Law vs Common Law Models

Civil Law Tradition (from the slides on England & Wales comparison):

Although the presentation focuses more on common law, it still contrasts civil-law notaries through a reflection exercise:

“A notary in civil-law systems… performs a very different function…

The civil-law notary is an attorney… who performs:

1. Drafting legal documents;

2. Authenticating legal instruments;

3. Serving as a public repository.”

Common Law Notaries (England, Wales, USA):

England & Wales:

• Appointed and regulated by the Faculty Office of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

• Principal role: “to attest the authenticity of deeds and other legal documents for use abroad.”
  

• Attesting means more than certification; foreign courts can rely on attested documents without further checks.

• Classes of notaries:

  1. Scrivener notaries.

  2. Ecclesiastical notaries.

  3. Qualified persons.

United States:

• Notaries are appointed by state governments.

• Very limited powers compared to civil law.

• Cannot give legal advice or draft documents (except Louisiana).

• Common acts:

1. Taking acknowledgments.

2. Administering oaths.

Thus, civil-law notaries are highly qualified legal professionals, while common-law notaries are primarily impartial witnesses.

2. Main Characteristics of Notarial Document Language

Key Features of Notarial Language:

1. Formality and precision – standardized wording, avoidance of vagueness.

2. Passive voice – to focus on actions, not the actor.

3. Clear structure and logical order – identification → declaration → verification → attestation.

4. Technical vocabulary.

5. Accuracy of personal data and dates.

6. Use of modal verbs (“shall”, “may”, “must”).

7. Use of doublets and triplets (null and void, fit and proper).

3. Typical Notarial Documents and Their Structure

3.1. Power of Attorney (POA)

Purpose: Authorizes a person to act on behalf of another.

Structure:

• Title and date

• Details of principal and attorney

• Scope of authority

• Signatures and notarization

A full sample text with formulas such as:

• “KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS…”

• “In witness whereof…”

• “All power and authority granted… will automatically terminate on [DATE] unless sooner revoked…”

Includes Ukrainian requirements:

• POA must specify duration.

• A POA without a date is void.

• A POA for a gift agreement must specify beneficiary name.

3.2. Will & Testament

Purpose: Determines distribution of property after death.

Structure:

• Title and declaration of intent.

• Personal details.

• Beneficiaries and bequests.

• Executor designation.

• Signatures and witnesses.

3.3. Deed of Sale

While not described separately, it appears under “Document-Related Vocabulary” and “Legalese examples”:

Examples include phrases used in deeds:

• “grant, convey, assign and transfer…”

• “This instrument shall take effect upon execution…”

Thus, a Deed of Sale follows the typical formal legal structure shown.

3.4. Certificate of Inheritance

This document also appears in vocabulary lists under document-related terminology but without detailed structure.

The presentation includes related terms in the Will & Testament section:

• Inheritance;

• Estate;

• Executor;

• Beneficiary.

4. Key Terms and Fixed Expressions

These appear on several vocabulary slides:

Key terms:

• Notarial Act / Notarial Deed.

• Notarial Certificate.

• Notarial Seal.

• Notarial Register.

Key verbs:

• Certify.

• Authenticate.

• Attest.

• Verify.

• Execute.

• Witness.

Document terms:

• Power of attorney.

• Affidavit.

• Declaration.

• Deed.

• Certified copy.

• True copy.

Typical notarial phrases:

• “Signed and acknowledged before me…”

• “Witness my hand and seal”

• “Executed as a free and voluntary act”

• “Certified true copy”

5. Do’s & Don’ts in Translating Notarial Documents

Do’s:

1. Use standard legal terminology.

2. Preserve formal style and fixed expressions.

3. Maintain consistent spelling and formatting.

4. Keep original structure.

5. Translate personal data exactly.

6. Use neutral tone.

7. Check jurisdiction-specific terminology.

Don’ts:

1. Do not paraphrase or simplify legal wording.

2. Do not add information not in the original.

3. Do not omit notarial formulas.

4. Do not change clause order.

5. Do not mistranslate document names.

6. Do not distort legal meaning of shall / may / hereby.

7. Do not ignore legal system differences.

6. Q&A Section

General questions:

• reflection on skills needed (attention to detail, legal terminology, ethics, legal procedures)

• punctuation mistakes, Oxford comma corrections

• concluding remarks:

“Understanding the role of a notary public is key to ensuring your documents carry legal weight and are recognized internationally.”