Under the auspices of his Excellency Minister of Justice Dr. Aoud Abu jarrad and in cooperation with the French embassy in Amman, the Faculty of Law, higher council for French notary public, and the Lebanese council of notary public, The university of Jordan organized in the faculty of law today a workshop specialized in the profession of notary public .
Minister Abu Jarrad addressed the audience ( notably included: French ambassador David Bertolotti, president of the University his Excellency Prof. Azmi Mahafzah, Dean of the Faculty of Law Prof. Fayyad Alquddah) emphasizing that this workshop comes in recognition of the legal role played the notary public and the importance of legal outcomes based on the procedures undertaken and executed by the notary public whether it concerns notarization of contracts, documentation of disclosers, organization of powers of attorney, legal bail, and others. The minister added that the ministry and through the help of legal and judiciary expertise has developed a preliminary draft to amend the notary public’s law. The minister elaborated that the draft encompasses many innovative ideas including reassessing the scientific methodology followed in organizing and classifying the articles of the law, the conditions required in a notary public, the authority of the Justice minister of the name any public servant to assume the duties of a notary public, and electronic archiving, banning of alteration or mutilation of procedures following notarization. In addition, the draft stipulates that a by-law to be passed. According By-law No. 22 for 2015 for licensing of notary publics was enacted.
The Minister explained that in order to strengthen the public’s trust and develop its services to the public, the ministry has worked to left up the institutional capacity and capabilities of public institutions including the notary-public bureau, to intensify excellence culture. In additions, the ministry improved the level of transparency in the public-notary processing its duties through use of protected notes, direct electronic connection, smart IDs which helps addressing issues such as forgery and fraud in the Bureau of Land Registry and other bureaus.
In order to facilitate delivery of notary public services, the minster mentioned that the private notary publics by-law has been promulgated stating that many lawyers have been licensed as notary public and that work is ongoing to license others in institutions other than courts such as the Chamber of Commerce and the Foreign Ministry.
The French ambassador, in turn, mentioned the great and productive cooperation between his country and the kingdom particularly in the field of legal and judicial expertise exchange emphasizing that this workshop comes as a fruit of this cooperation which aims build on this in legal and judicial and other aspects of collaboration. The ambassador, also mentioned the French experience in developing the provision of notary public indicating that it assumes vital and sensitive duties in courts as this provision is considered rooted deeply with great heritage.
The dean of the faculty of law, Prof. Fayyad Al-qudah, said this workshop is organized through support of the French embassy in Amman and comes as part of the faculty’s legal, cultural, and educational activities. In particular, this workshop is organized to shed light on the new notary public by-law which permits licensed lawyers to assume notary public duties which are considered sensitive ones most notably: authentication of contracts, powers of attorney, including irrevocable sale of property power of attorney which amounts in its effects to property vending contracts.
The dean adds that the faculty has decided to pioneer in addressing this experience through exploring the situation in France and Lebanon since both countries are among the first countries to allow lawyers undertake public notarization duties. The dean also mentioned that this workshop tries to evaluate the technical experience in Jordan and benefit from other countries’ experiences.
At the conclusion of the workshop the president of the University, Prof. Azzmi Mahafzah, presented the minister of Justice, the French ambassador, as well as many participating judges and experts with plaques and commemorative inscriptions .