Alabama § 36-20-50 - Definitions.

§ 36-20-50. Definitions.

For purposes of this article, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) AUTHENTIC ACT. An instrument executed by a civil law notary referencing this article, which includes the particulars and capacities to act of transacting parties, a confirmation of the full text of any necessary instrument, the signatures or their legal equivalent thereof of any transacting parties, the signature and seal of a civil law notary, and such other information prescribed by the Secretary of State.

(2) BREVET. A private document in which the civil law notary attests to the authenticity of the signature or signatures, a fact or a contract. Brevets may be used, among other things, to certify signatures, prescribe oaths, certify a translation or a copy of a document that is not part of the civil law notaries protocol, or certify the identity of any object or thing.

(3) CIVIL LAW NOTARY. A person who is admitted to the practice of law in this state, who has practiced law in a United States jurisdiction for at least five years, and who is appointed by the Secretary of State as a civil law notary.

(4) MINUTE. An authentic act written by a civil law notary which contains the exact narration of a finding of fact or facts influencing the rights of private parties of which the civil law notary has personal knowledge and that due to the nature of the authentic act does not constitute a contract or juridical business. The types of minutes include, but may not be limited to, the following:

a. General Minutes. A minute providing a certification of general facts known to the civil law notary.

b. Minutes of Notoriety. A minute providing a certification that a fact is generally known by the people who have a direct or close relationship with the factual situation or its consequences, or who belong to the social or economic environment of the person affected by a particular fact.

c. Minutes of Correction. A minute for the purpose of rectifying minor errors in form or omissions made by the civil law notary in prior authentic acts.

d. Minutes of Addition. A minute for the purpose of including a document in the civil law notary’s protocol in order to provide for preservation of the document; limited memorialization of domestic private documents and/or execution of foreign legal documents.

(5) NOTARIAL DEED. An authentic act in which contains a contract, transaction, or other juridical act and which may also include the certification of facts. Notarial deeds may involve either a single party, as in the case of a will, or multiple parties, as with a contract.