Hugh McGroddy Blog

As an office, a notary public is probably one of the oldest that is still currently in existence. It’s probably not an exaggeration to state that for as long as civilisation has had written contracts, there would have been a public notary in one form or the other.

Hugh McGroddy is a Dublin based Public Notary. Admitted as a Solicitor in 19898, Hugh is joint managing partner of McGroddy Brennan Solicitors. He was formerly a partner in Binchys and Maples and Calder Solicitors where he was head of the property department.

You have probably heard of the term Power of Attorney before, and you may even have a small understanding of what they do. You may know that your Attorney can make decisions for you and to act on your behalf. But did you know that there are two types of Attorney, and there are some major differences between their roles and abilities.

A Commissioner for Oaths is an authorised individual who can verify affidavits and statutory declarations for court proceedings and other legal documents. While not all are solicitors, every solicitor holding a current practising certificate is entitled to administer oaths under the title of a Commissioner for Oaths. 

One of the main duties of a Notary Public is to authenticate documents. However, if you wish to have Irish company documents used oversees additional measure may need to be taken to ensure authenticity. In certain cases you will need to apply for an Apostille.

A notary public is a public officer who serves the public in non-contentious matters and authenticates legal documents. The main purpose of a notary public is to prevent fraud by witnessing the signing of documents and verifying their authority. There are many situations when a notary's services will be required.

A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that gives another person or persons, the authority to make decisions for you if you are unable to do so through illness or absenteeism. The person you select to make these decisions on your behalf is called the "attorney" and you are referred to as the "donor". 

An affidavit is a sworn, written statement from a witness in a case. The legal document sets out the facts of the case and tells the court that the information contained in the affidavit is 100% true and factual. In other words, an affidavit is the written version of a sworn testimonial. An affidavit may be given on any court petition, motion or evidence. 

Most people are unaware of the functions and duties of a Commissioner for Oaths, but there may come a time in your life when you will need to use their services so it is important to know what it is they do. A Commissioner for Oaths is a person who is authorised to verify affidavits, which are statements in writing and on oath, and other legal documents. In Ireland, a Commissioner for Oaths is appointed by the Chief Justice and usually, but does not always, a solicitor.

Have you ever considered what might happen to your cash, home or financial affairs when you're older or if you become ill? Many people worry about what might occur if they end up being unable to handle their own financial resources. A Power of Attorney will allow you to prepare well in advance and have an effective plan in place should it be required.

If you’ve never used a Notary Public service before, or even if you have, it can be difficult to understand what exactly a notary is and why they are necessary. When creating a legal document you will need to get it notarised or signed by a notary public, and until you know exactly what that means, this step can seem confusing and unnecessary.