Notz Notaire
about notz notaire
Maria Notz
Notz Notaire is the notary office founded by Maria Notz in Coppet, located in the canton of Vaud (Switzerland). Maria Notz has a Bachelors's and Masters's Degree in Law, specializing in Private and Tax Law. After her academic studies, Maria Notz started working in Geneva, where she applied her knowledge of Swiss and International Taxation before starting her internship as a notary. Maria Notz welcomes you to her office, offering professional advice in French, English and Portuguese.
Publications
What is the reason to consult a notary?
24 heures | Wednesday, June 30, 2021 | Maria Notz, notary
«The «notary». A curious figure everyone has heard of at least once. We know of its existence and are aware that we risk being eventually «persuaded» to hire its services, depending on our needs. Many scholars have studied this profession and its role in society. According to the doctrine, the notary is defined by its legal role and the extent of its detailed skills. In literature, it is a figure that authors enjoy representing in a caricatural style when talking about its physique and character. Balzac describes the notary figure as being «a short, fat man, in good health, dressed in black, sure of himself» and as someone who has «a certain butter-coloured head that exposes its work exhaustion». On its character traits, Balzac says: «Without any other personality besides their public personality, they become boring by dint of being bored.» Time to dust off the assumptions we have about notaries! Requesting the services of a notary is often a legal obligation, since, in the canton of Vaud, the notary works as a public officer, responsible for the authentication of acts. But it is, above all, a partner to accompany and advise anyone in each major stage of their lives. But then, why does our legal system put the notary in charge of the legitimacy of «authentic documents»?
Consulting a notary ensures that anyone, even an inexperienced client, receives quality information and understands the documents to be signed. The intervention of the notary in a legal transaction also guarantees the security of the law and procedures, since the document drafted by the notary is formulated to clearly transpire the will of the parties involved by using the appropriate legal terms. The notary will also monitor the whole process of issuance of the deed. These steps before signing ensure that the resulting submissions to the various public registers are accurate (Land Registry and Commercial Registry). A notary will also guarantee that the transaction is safe. For example, in a real estate sale, the notary will centralize the funds and issue them to each involved party. Another upside is that the notary works with strict professional confidentiality. This fact allows different factions to consult the same notary to find common ground while being assured of its discretion and neutrality. Moreover, one should not forget that the notary must safekeep the original authentic deeds to issue certified copies, thus guaranteeing that the sought information will be always found. The relevance of the notary is not limited solely to the drafting of authentic deeds. It is an active role in many legal fields such as real estate (sales, easements, mortgages), matrimonial regimes (marriage contracts, liquidation matrimonial regimes), testamentary dispositions (estate agreements, wills), successions (inheritance and shares), taxations (within the expertise of the notary), commercial law (the foundation of companies and supervision of all core operations during the company's existence), notarization of power of attorney and declarations of unfitness, issuance of certified copies and certification of signatures. Therefore, it is valuable to consult a notary as soon as legal questions arise and when seeking a qualified and neutral interlocutor to accompany us during the assessment phase and the various steps of implementation. The notary is no longer the character Balzac described: nowadays, the notary may have a computer, sends e-mails and often has a head full of hair.»
