North Carolina General Statutes 66-274. Limitations on authentication
(a) The Secretary shall not issue a certificate of authentication for a document if the Secretary has cause to believe that the certificate is desired for an unlawful or improper purpose. The Secretary may examine not only the document for which a certificate is requested, but also any documents to which the previous seals or other certifications may have been affixed by other authorities. The Secretary may request any additional information that may be necessary to establish that the requested certificate will serve the interests of justice and is not contrary to public policy, including a certified or notarized English translation of document text in a foreign language.
(b) The Secretary shall not issue a certificate of authentication for any one or more of the following:
(1) A seal or signature that cannot be authenticated by either the Secretary or another official.
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 66-274
- following: when used by way of reference to any section of a statute, shall be construed to mean the section next preceding or next following that in which such reference is made; unless when some other section is expressly designated in such reference. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- seal: shall be construed to include an impression of such official seal, made upon the paper alone, as well as an impression made by means of a wafer or of wax affixed thereto. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
(2) A seal or signature of a foreign official.
(3) A facsimile, photostat, photographic, or other reproduction of a signature or seal.
(c) The Secretary may not include within the certificate of authentication any statement that is not within the Secretary’s power or knowledge to authenticate. The Secretary may not certify that a document has been executed or certified in accordance with the law of any particular jurisdiction or that a document is a valid document in a particular jurisdiction. (1998-228, s. 14.)