First, determine if the journal is considered public record or not, then determine whether the request is in the proper form. For example, in Arizona anyone can submit a request to see a notary's journal entry because it is deemed public record.

The person making the request to view or obtain a copy of the entry must make the request in writing and include:

• Month and year of the notarial act
• Name of the person whose signature was notarized
• The type of document or transaction

The requestor must be specific about the entry they are inquiring about. They cannot simply ask to peruse the notary's journal or ask for all entries for a certain person.

When the notary responds, the notary should only provide that exact entry. All other entries which may appear on the same page should be covered. There have been many instances where a notary's seal or event certificates have been stolen or duplicated.

Be sure to respond to requests in a timely manner. If a request comes in to view an entry which does not appear in the journal, the notary should be sure to respond in writing to the requestor letting them know there is no entry matching their request and explain why there is no entry, for example, "This indicates the signer did not appear in front of the notary as a journal is kept for all notarial acts."

Failure to respond with a detailed explanation could appear as an admission the notary did not follow proper procedures.

However, since the law in your jurisdiction regarding journal entries may be different, always consult an attorney before you respond to any requests to produce your journal entries.