By Lisa A. Tyler
National Escrow Administrator

A third article in a series written by guest author and speaker Jerome Mayne, convicted mortgage fraud felon, begins, "At 9:00 a.m. on September 30, 1999, my seventy–year–old mother walked into the federal criminal courthouse in downtown St. Paul, Minnesota. After nine months of grueling pre–trial, articles in the newspapers and calls from friends, it was judgment day. The crime: conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and money laundering." Read "CRIME: who does the time?" to realize it is not just the criminal who is punished for their bad choices, but everyone around them as well.

Michelle Allen, closer for Noble Title & Trust in Naples, Florida, closed a sale for an absentee seller. The property was owned by a trust. The trustee for the trust lived in Colorado but came to Naples a few days prior to closing, so Michelle met with her to pre–sign all the closing documents. The trustee did not have a bank account for the trust but promised to open one as soon as she returned home. Read "BE ever vigilant" for more details.

Commissioned notaries who are acknowledging the signature of someone who is blind must be sure they consult with their state regulator for the specific instructions on the proper way to notarize the documents. In some states, such as Florida, Illinois and Indiana, the notary public acknowledging the document is legally required to read the entire document to a blind signer. In other states, one or two witnesses must be present at the signing. Read "BLIND or physically disabled signers" for this month's notary know–how tip.

Be sure to answer the monthly notary question to make certain you understand the tips shared to increase your "NOTARY know–how"!

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