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Pennsylvania Enacts “Notario Publico” Ban

Published on

November 11, 2013

On October 9, 2013, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett signed into law Act 73, which aims to reduce deceptive practices targeting Spanish-speaking individuals.  Specifically, the law prohibits notaries from advertising themselves using the term “notario público,” since in many Spanish-speaking countries that is a designation reserved for licensed attorneys.  In the United States, some notaries have used the term to trick Spanish speakers into hiring notaries for legal advice and the preparation of legal documents.  Because much of the legal work these notaries offered involved complex immigration matters, mistakes were made which caused notary clients to suffer criminal charges or face deportation proceedings.  Act 73 affirms that individuals seeking legal advice regarding their immigration status should turn to licensed attorneys who specialize in this field.

Barley Snyder’s Immigration Law Group offers clients in Pennsylvania and beyond a broad range of immigration services, including medical, business, and family-based immigration.  Two of our attorneys are fluent in Spanish.

El 9 de Octubre de 2013, el Gobernador de Pennsylvania Tom Corbett, enactó el Acto 73, lo cual intenta a reducir las hechos engañosos contra los quien habla español.  Específicamente, la ley prohibe a los notarios anuciar sus servicios utilizando la frase “notario público,” porque en muchos paises donde se habla español se usa ese frase para significar un abogado autorizado.  En los Estados Unidos, algunos notarios han aprovechado de esta confusión para engañar a los hablantes español en contratar para el consejo legal y la preparación de los documentos legales.  Porque mucho de este trabajo ha relacionado a los asuntos complejos de inmigración, los clientes han recibido penales criminales o enfrentado a la deportación.  De esta manera, el Acto 73 afirma que se debe consultar a un abogado autorizado especializado en la ley de inmigración cuando se busca consejo legal sobre asuntos de inmigración.

El Grupo de Abogados de Inmigración de Barley Snyder ofrece servicios legales de inmigración a clientes en Pennsylvania y mas alla, incluyendo inmigración médica, de negocios, o de familia.  Y se habla español.


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