reglab/statecodes huggingface dataset:
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2102 - Inspection and examination—Officer in charge

The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico shall be in charge of the inspection of notarial offices and the examination of protocols. He shall appoint a Director of the Office of Notarial Inspection and of experienced notaries as inspectors, all of whom shall be covered by the provisions of §§ 521—525 of this title, known as the “Personnel Act of the Judiciary Branch” and the rules and regulations adopted by virtue thereof. One of the Protocol Inspectors shall reside in the district of San Juan, and another in the district of Ponce. The others shall reside in the location designated by the Chief Justice. The Supreme Court, after giving the notary an opportunity to be heard in his defense, may discipline him through a reprimand, a fine not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) or a temporary or permanent suspension from office in case of any violation of the provisions of this chapter or any other act related to the notarial practice, all subject to the provisions of § 2105 of this title. The Supreme Court as well as the Chief Justice may delegate on the Director of Notarial Inspection whatever functions related to the supervision of the notaries and the notarial practice that they deem convenient with the exception of the power to impose disciplinary sanctions.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 62, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2103 - Inspection and examination—Disparity of criteria; solution

If, during the course of inspection of the notarial protocol, any difference of criteria arises between the Protocols Inspector and the notary with regard to the form and manner he keeps his protocols and registry of affidavits, with respect to compliance with this chapter, the cancelling of fees, or any other act related to the certification of the documents or instruments, the Inspector shall state it in his report, briefly listing the facts and the grounds of the controversy. This report shall be submitted to the Court of First Instance Part, without payment of fees or taxes of any type, so that after hearing the Inspector and the notary it may resolve the controversy. The ensuing resolution may be reviewed by the Supreme Court through certiorari filed within the thirty (30) days after being notified; all of which is subject to the provisions of § 2105 of this title.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 63, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2104 - Death, disability or resignation of notary; surrender of protocol

In case of the death or the permanent mental or physical disability of a notary, or when he voluntarily or compulsorily ceases in the performance of his/her functions, or in the event that the surety company requests the termination of his/her bond, or when he/she accepts permanent appointment to any judicial or executive office which, under the laws of Puerto Rico, is incompatible with the free exercise of the legal or notarial profession, it shall be the duty of the notary, his/her heirs, successors, or assigns, to surrender within thirty (30) days his/her protocols and the registers of affidavits that he/she keeps, duly bound to the Notarial Inspection Office for their inspection.
If this surrender is not made voluntarily within said term, the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico may issue the corresponding order to such effects.
Once the protocols surrendered pursuant to this section have been examined and approved they shall be placed under the custody of the custodian of notarial protocols of the corresponding district.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 64; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 13.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2105 - Disciplinary corrections; due process

No notary may be disciplined, separated or suspended from notarial practice except through a process that complies, in all its phases, with all the guarantees of due process of law procedurally as well as substantively.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 65, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2106 - Delivery of protocol to general custodian; examination; return to the notary

Once the protocols and registries of affidavits have been examined for the reasons established by § 2104 of this title, they shall be delivered to the General Custodian for the corresponding district, thus complying with § 2111(d) of this title with regard to registries of affidavits of less than thirty (30) years. If the result of the examination is that there has been a failure to affix the corresponding internal revenue, notarial tax or Legal Assistance stamps, the Attorney General shall proceed to sue for reimbursement of the pending amounts, from the notary, his heirs, successors or assigns or guarantors, in behalf of the Commonwealth, the Bar Association and legal assistance, and shall inform the Chief Justice of the outcome of these actions.
When the notary ceases to be disabled or to hold the judicial or executive office to which he was appointed, the General Custodian of the district shall return his protocols to him if he should resume the practice of the notarial profession, and the notary so requests it.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 66, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2107 - Notarial districts; general custodians; operation

The territory of the Commonwealth shall be divided into the following comprehensive notarial districts of the demarcation corresponding to the Parts of the Court of First Instance with seats in San Juan, Arecibo, Aguadilla, Mayagüez, Ponce, Guayama, Humacao, Caguas, Bayamón, Aibonito, Utuado, Carolina and Fajardo. The respective General Custodian of notarial protocols shall reside in each of these seats. He shall be a notary appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, except as provided below with respect to the Notarial Archives Custodian for San Juan. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court shall pass upon all matters concerning said notarial archives and the resignations and vacancies of the custodians of protocols and shall take such measures he deems proper in connection with the general archives. The Chief Justice may delegate on the Director of Notarial Inspection whatever relevant powers he deems convenient.
General District Custodians, and, in the case of the San Juan Notarial District, the Director of Notarial Inspection may issue literal, full or partial, handwritten, typewritten, photographic or photostatic copies reproduced by any other electronic means designed to obtain an exact reproduction of an original, of the notarial deeds in his custody through payment of the costs of reproducing said copies plus the scheduled fees prescribed for issuing copies, and payment of the corresponding Internal Revenue stamps required by law. In the San Juan General Archives, the fees shall be paid by receipts issued by the Collector of Internal Revenue, in addition to the Internal Revenue stamps that shall be canceled on the copies of the notarial deeds.
The copies thus issued of any deed duly certified by the General Custodian of the District, or by the Director of the Office Notarial Inspection in the case of the San Juan Notarial District Archives, shall be admissible in evidence.
Present incumbents as General Custodians of notarial protocols shall continue to hold office as long as they observe good conduct, or until they resign or are removed for any reason.
The Director of Notarial Inspection shall be in charge of the functioning of the Notarial Archives of San Juan as Custodian. All the operating expenses of the San Juan Notarial Archives and the expenses of supervising the other District Notarial Archives shall be included in the annual expense budget of the Supreme Court.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 67; Sept. 26, 1995, No. 209, § 1, eff. July 1, 1996.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter VIII - Regulation and Inspection of Notaries (§§ 2101 — 2108) › § 2108 - Notarial Inspection Office; personnel

The officers of the present Notarial Inspection Office shall continue in their office with the same prerogatives as long as they observe good conduct, until they resign, or are removed for any just cause.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 68, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IX - General Archives of Protocols (§§ 2111 — 2112) › § 2111 - General archives of protocols—Contents and functions

(a) The transfer to the General Archives of Puerto Rico of the notarial protocols that are kept conserved in the Archives of Notarial Protocols of Puerto Rico, which on the effective date of this act have been in existence more than sixty (60) years, is hereby authorized. The future transfer to the General Archives of Puerto Rico of those protocols that as time goes by reach that limit of antiquity, is also hereby authorized.
(b) The General Archives of Puerto Rico shall be the custodian of the notarial protocols transferred to the General Archives of Puerto Rico pursuant to subsection (a) of this section. It shall be the duty of the General Archives to take the necessary measures to ensure the proper conservation of the protocols placed in its custody, always conserving them in their original form and order.
(c) The protocols referred to in this section shall continue to be secret pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. With regard to bona fide historical investigators, the General Custodian of Puerto Rico shall establish, through regulations to such effect, the norms necessary to establish their condition and to authorize investigations.
(d) The notarial custodian for the District of San Juan is hereby empowered, with the exclusion of any other official, to issue copies of the deeds found in the protocols referred to in this section, pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, including the cases of protocols transferred to the General Archives of Puerto Rico or of those documents in his custody and of those under temporary custody of the Director of Notarial Inspection.
The Director of the Notarial Inspection Office shall likewise authorize notaries to destroy any book of affidavits whose last affidavit is dated over thirty (30) years ago. Said authorization shall be transacted in the manner provided by the Supreme Court through regulations. No register may be destroyed unless it has been previously examined and approved by an inspector of protocols. Once the destruction of these registers has been authorized, the notary may conserve them in his/her possession if he/she wishes, but they shall not be received in any notarial archive, unless so directed by the Supreme Court.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 69; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 14.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter IX - General Archives of Protocols (§§ 2111 — 2112) › § 2112 - General archives of protocols—Notarial custodians

Notarial custodians may be disciplined for the same causes and in the same manner as notaries, without impairing the provisions of the Penal Code.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 70, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter X - Registry of Wills (§§ 2121 — 2126) › § 2121 - Registry of wills—Creation and functions

A registry of wills attached to the Office of Notarial Inspection is hereby created. The functions and faculties of the registry shall be exercised by the Director of Notarial Inspection under the direct supervision of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 71, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter X - Registry of Wills (§§ 2121 — 2126) › § 2122 - Registers of wills—Regulation

Pursuant to the power conferred to the Supreme Court by § 2101 of this title, the same is hereby empowered to establish, by regulations, everything concerning the operation and functioning of the register of wills created by this chapter in a manner not incompatible with its provisions.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 72; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 15.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter X - Registry of Wills (§§ 2121 — 2126) › § 2123 - Register of wills—Certified reports

The notaries shall remit to the Director of the Notarial Inspection Office, the next day after its execution, not counting Saturdays and Sundays or legal holidays, a notice authorized by them of each master deed granting, modifying, revoking or extending a will or recording of a holographic or sealed will, stating in said notice the number of the deed or record, the date, place and hour it was executed and the name and surname of the testator and of the witnesses, as the case may be, with their personal circumstances as they appear in the document and any other information required. In order to provide to the Notarial Inspection Office the means to establish the identity of the testator if any doubt should arise, the notice shall include the number of one of the following documents, selected in order of prelation:
(1) The last four (4) digits of the number appearing on the Social Security card.
(2) Driver’s license.
(3) Passport.
(4) Green card.
(5) Identity card.
(6) Elector’s card, as provided in §§ 3001 et seq. of Title 16.
If the notary does not have access to any of the referred identification numbers, he/she shall so state in the notice, together with a statement of the circumstances that made it impossible for him/her to obtain the information.
The referred notice shall be remitted to the Notarial Inspection Office pursuant to the procedure established by the Supreme Court through regulations.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 73; Nov. 4, 2005, No. 136, § 1; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 16.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter X - Registry of Wills (§§ 2121 — 2126) › § 2124 - Register of wills—Acknowledgement of certified report; certification thereof

It shall be the duty of the Director of the Notarial Inspection Office to acknowledge receipt to the notary of said notice and maintain a Register with the name and surname or surnames of the testator and other circumstances which are part of said notarial notification.
These notices shall be conserved in [the] custody of said official who shall keep them in the order in which they were remitted. He/she is hereby authorized to certify with his/her signature and official seal whether the execution of the will sought has been annotated, by written petition of an interested party or his/her attorney, accompanied by internal revenue stamps in the amount of three dollars ($3).
The Director of the Notarial Inspection Office may also certify, by payment of the same fees, that in the written records in his office there is no evidence that the designated person has executed a will.
Once the Register of Wills is integrated to the General Register of Notarial Competence created by §§ 2155—2166 of this title, known as the “Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act”, the payment of fees for affirmative or negative certifications of wills shall be five dollar ($5)s, as provided by the referred statute.
The payment of fees shall be made through internal revenue stamps, which shall be cancelled on the certification itself, or by any other means as determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in coordination with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court or the person upon whom he/she delegates.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 74; Dec. 13, 2007, No. 196, § 17.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter X - Registry of Wills (§§ 2121 — 2126) › § 2125 - Registry of wills—Negative certification, prerequisite for declaration of heirship

The Court of First Instance shall not admit or process any petition of declaration of heirship whatsoever that is not filed with a negative certification from the Office of Notarial Inspection issued pursuant to § 2124 of this title.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 75, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter X - Registry of Wills (§§ 2121 — 2126) › § 2126 - Registry of powers of attorney

In the case of granting a power of attorney the notary shall comply with the provisions of the Power of Attorney Registration Act, §§ 921—927 of this title, and the Regulations of the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 76, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter XI - Notarial Fees (§§ 2131 — 2132) › § 2132 - Notarial Fees—Extra tariff

The fees fixed above for executing the documents shall not impair or limit the notary from charging the fees he believes reasonable and prudent in accordance with Canon 24 of Professional Ethics for the fixing of fees, for his prior and preparatory efforts, including the subsequent ones, such as background and titles, studies, consultations, opinions, preparation of certificates and compensated powers of attorney in which the notary renders an additional service as a lawyer.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 78, eff. 60 days after July 2, 1987.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter XII - Administration of Bonds (§§ 2141 — 2144) › § 2141 - Repealed. Act July 27, 2011, No. 158, § 3, eff. July 27, 2011

History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, § 79; Aug. 31, 2000, No. 265, § 1, eff. 90 days after Aug. 31, 2000; Repealed. Act.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter XII - Administration of Bonds (§§ 2141 — 2144) › § 2142 - Special Fund

All sums collected by the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance on account of premiums for the issue of the Notary Bond shall be deposited in a “Special Fund” which shall be used to answer for the proper performance of the duties of the notary’s office and damages caused by his actions or omissions in the exercise of his duties. Furthermore, the Commissioner of Insurance may appropriate that portion of the income that is not reserved to answer for claims and expenses of the Fund to initiatives that benefit lawyers and notaries of Puerto Rico, as provided by the Supreme Court. These initiatives may include:
(1) To establish and maintain a continuing education program for all notaries of Puerto Rico through courses, seminars, lectures, or any other type of educational programs that the Commissioner deems proper.
(2) To coordinate with educational institutions approved by the Supreme Court to provide educational programs for all notaries in Puerto Rico through courses, seminars, lectures, or any other type of educational programs that the Commissioner deems proper.
(3) To provide notaries with legal research services and access to databases or other means that enable a thorough and adequate notarial practice and faithful compliance with the laws that govern the notarial practice.
(4) To sponsor a scholarship program for those distinguished members of the profession, judges of the General Court of Justice, professors, and outstanding law school graduates, so that they may pursue advanced studies to improve the quality of the legal education, the quality of the profession, and the quality of justice.
(5) Any other initiative directed to improving and facilitating the notarial practice in Puerto Rico.
The Commissioner of Insurance is hereby empowered to hire the necessary personnel to advise him on the best way to achieve these purposes, and appoint an advisory council knowledgeable in the matter, for the attainment of these objectives.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, added as § 79 on July 27, 2011, No. 158, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter XII - Administration of Bonds (§§ 2141 — 2144) › § 2143 - Powers and duties of the Commissioner of Insurance

With respect to the administration of the Special Fund, the Commissioner of Insurance shall have the following powers and duties:
(a) To adopt the regulations and forms needed to implement the provisions of this chapter.
(b) To establish the premium to be paid by notaries for the notary bond.
(c) To issue or renew the notary bond to those notaries who so request it.
(d) To establish a reserve that is sufficient to answer to any lawful claim against the Special Fund resulting from a bond issued by the Notarial Bond Commission and to cover the necessary expenses incurred to administer, operate, and keep the Special Fund.
(e) To adopt bylaws whereby its procedures and work standards are established.
(f) To establish the necessary structures to administer the Fund.
(g) To contract managerial, administrative, professional, technical, or consultative personnel, as deemed necessary.
(h) To keep the Supreme Court informed about the status of the bonds it has issued.
(i) To resort to any legal remedies, actions, or proceedings that may be necessary and convenient to enforce the provisions of this Act, whether represented by its attorneys or the Secretary of Justice, upon request to such effects.
(j) To keep a record of all requests made and of the documents submitted by the notaries.
(k) The Commissioner of Insurance may take any other action, and shall have any other power in addition to those conferred herein as necessary or convenient to comply with the provisions of this chapter.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, added as § 80 on July 27, 2011, No. 158, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 101 - 1987 Notarial Act (§§ 2001 — 2144) › Subchapter XII - Administration of Bonds (§§ 2141 — 2144) › § 2144 - Report to the Governor and to the Supreme Court

Within sixty (60) days after the close of every fiscal year, the Commissioner of Insurance shall submit an itemized report to the Governor and the Supreme Court of the income received and the work performed during the year, including a description of the fiscal situation of the Fund.
History —July 2, 1987, No. 75, p. 242, added as § 81 on July 27, 2011, No. 158, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2155 - Non-contentious matters

The notary may handle the following matters and procedures, in addition to attending to the matters and procedures that are attributed to them by law at present:
(1) Of the Special Legal Procedures Act: previously the Code of Civil Procedure: testate and intestate proceedings; declarations of heirship (§§ 2301 and 2302 of Title 32) and acceptance of the charge, and the issuing of letters testamentary to an executor, by a Notary who is not the one registered in the office of the official notary in the will (§ 2571 of Title 32) is registered.
(2) Of the certification and registering of holographic wills (§§ 2163—2167 of Title 31).
(3) Of the statement of simple absence (§ 201 of Title 31).
(4) Of the procedures under Rule 42.2 of Civil Procedure to perpetuate facts in which no controversy is stated, and that will not result in prejudice of a certain and determined person, nor are intended to be used to confer the identity of a person.
(5) Of the procedures for the correction of records that are in the Demographic Registry, and the changes of names and surnames (§ 1231 of Title 24).
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 2, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2156 - Concurrent competence

Competence in the notarial site referred to in § 2155 of this title, shall be concurrent with that exercised by the courts. The petitioner shall have the option of presenting the matter before the notary or before the court, as he/she deems convenient.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 3, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2157 - Who can practice notarial competence

Notarial competence in the matters referred to in § 2155 of this title, may be exercised by any person admitted by the Supreme Court of Puerto Rico to the practice of the profession of attorney at law and notary public.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 4, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2158 - General procedures

The procedure before the notarial seat shall be initiated by the demand of those who have legal standing therefor.
The notary shall:
(1) Notify the General Registry of Notarial Competence of the initiation of the intervention, within a term of three (3) working days after having signed the professional notarial services contract to handle the procedure in question. Said term shall be strictly complied with. The rules on the presentation of the notice, that may be done electronically, as well as its content, shall be provided by the Supreme Court, through regulations.
(2) Compile the required documentation, as the case may be. This documentation may be furnished by whoever requires the legal action of the notary, or obtained by the notary him/herself.
(3) Evaluate and determine if the documents received or obtained meet the requirements of the mandamus in each case.
(4) If after evaluating the documents, the notary concludes that it is pertinent to execute the statement of facts and of law required by the enjoiner, the notary shall state the following in a notarial certificate:
(a) The name and address of the petitioner.
(b) The actions taken.
(c) The statements received and documents examined.
(d) The statement of facts and the corresponding legal grounds.
(5) Prepare a file with the sworn statements, documents examined, the notices to the parties concerned, and an index of all the documents contained therein.
(6) Remit a notice of his/her findings of the procedure to the General Registry of Notarial Competence within the term of seventy-two (72) hours.
(7) The Supreme Court shall direct the terms of the custody, competence and delivery of the file, through regulations.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 5; July 21, 2000, No. 128, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2159 - Discontinuance of the procedure

If, after all the documents have been received and evaluated, the notary concludes that it is not pertinent to prepare the statement of facts and law requested by the applicant, he/she shall return all the documents in the file prepared as provided by law. He/she shall also inform the applicant that upon delivery of the documents, his/her intervention will cease, shall explain the reason therefore; and shall notify the General Registry of Notarial Competence within the term of three (3) working days.
The notary shall also cease all proceedings with regard to a matter if:
(a) He/she did not receive all the information or documents needed to draft a statement of facts and of law, within a reasonable term agreed to with the applicant;
(b) there is a grounded objection of the Department of Justice in those cases in which this chapter requires his/her intervention;
(c) a controversy or opposition should arise in a voluntary jurisdiction procedure, between those who show they have a legitimate interest therein;
(d) the voluntary ceasing of the procedure is requested by the enjoiner, or at the initiative of the notary; or
(e) he/she has knowledge that the matter is being handled in court.
In all the situations described in this section, the notary and the enjoiner shall comply with what has been agreed upon with regard to notarial fees, as provided in this chapter.
The notary shall also prepare an acknowledgement and shall notify the General Registry of Notarial Competence of the termination of his/her performance.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 6; July 21, 2000, No. 128, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2160 - Statements under oath

Any statement that the enjoiner makes to the notary, and that is essential for the handling of the matter, shall be made under oath.
The notarial certificate shall include the statements of the enjoiner, along with a mention by the notary that they were made under oath.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 7, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2161 - Matters that require the intervention of the Department of Justice

In those matters in which there are minors or legally disabled persons among the interested parties, or in which a change of name or surname is requested, or in ad perpetuam rei memoriam matters or in those involving a statement of simple absence, the notary shall notify said transaction to the Department of Justice by certified mail or by messenger, with receipt requested. Thirty (30) days after the Department of Justice has been notified, without the latter having stated its opposition in writing, the notary shall continue with his/her intervention in the matter, stating that fact in the notarial certificate and including attesting evidence of said notice. The notary may choose to appear at the offices of the Department of Justice and personally request its opinion on the matter under consideration, in which case, he/she shall so state on the notarial certificate, with the answer of the representative of the Department of Justice.
The opposition of the Department of Justice shall be sufficient for the notary to desist in his/her actions, who shall proceed according to the provisions of § 2159(b) of this title.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 8; Sept. 2, 2000, No. 309, § 1.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2162 - Effect of the notarial action

The results of the notarial action in matters of notarial competence shall have no effect of res judicata. Nevertheless, the results of the actions of the notary shall enjoy a presumption of correction, thus, whoever challenges it, shall bear the burden of proof.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 9, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2163 - Notarial fees

The notary and the enjoiner shall establish the notarial fees, if any, in writing.
The enjoiner shall be directly responsible for the payment of the expenses, costs and disbursements incurred in the proceeding, as well as the payment of fees related to expert opinions that the notary may require.
In all those situations foreseen in this chapter, where the intervention of the notary ceases, he/she may charge the notarial fees corresponding to those earned up to that moment.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 10, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2164 - General Register of Notarial Competences

A General Register of Notarial Competences is hereby created, attached to the Notarial Inspection Office, which shall be maintained and administered by the Director of Notary Inspection under the supervision of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice may order the consolidation in the General Register of Notarial Competences, of the Notarial Reports Registry established by §§ 2001 et seq. of this title; the Registry of Wills established in § 2124 of this title; and the Registry of Proxies established by §§ 921 et seq. of this title.
The Supreme Court shall establish the operating standards of the General Register of Notarial Competences, by regulations.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 11, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2165 - Certifications

The Director of Notary inspection is hereby authorized to issue certificates of the notaries’ attestations in the General Register of Notarial Competences, including negative certificates. The certificates may be issued by electronic network.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 12, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FOUR - Judiciary (§§ 1-3 — 2166) › PART VI - Notarial Practice (§§ 2001 — 2166) › Chapter 102 - Non-Contentious Notarial Matters Act (§§ 2155 — 2166) › § 2166 - Payment of fees

The following fees shall be paid:
(a) For the certificates issued by the General Register of Notarial Competences, five dollars ($5).
(b) For every procedure in the Notarial seat, the fee provided in §§ 851 et seq. of this title, to be canceled in the site of the notarial certificate.
(c) For the first certified copy of the Notarial Certificate issued to the enjoiner, the fee that is provided in §§ 851 et seq. of this title. All other certified copies shall be exempted from the payment of fees.
(d) For the serving of the decision of the Notary in the procedure, the fee that is provided in §§ 1476—1486 of Title 32; for the presentation and notification of the matters referred to in this chapter, before the Parts of the General Court of Justice.
The payment of fees shall be made through internal revenue stamps and notarial tax stamps. The payment of these fees may be made by electronic means once this system for the payment of fees has been installed. The funds collected for the payment of the fees established in this chapter shall be deposited in the Special Fund created by § 1482b of Title 32, after discounting the one percent (1%) thereof that corresponds to the Department of the Treasury.
Persons who enjoy exemption from the payment of fees for special laws, shall be exempted from the payment of the fees provided hereby.
History —Aug. 21, 1999, No. 282, § 13, eff. July 31, 2000.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 2A - Machinery and Equipment Service Program for Pathways and Roads (§§ 35 — 35e) › § 35 - Creation; purpose; authority

There is hereby created the Machinery and Equipment Service Program for the Construction of Pathways and Roads. The purpose of this program shall be the construction of pathways and roads within rural farms under cultivation or set aside for cultivation, to expedite the transportation of products and materials necessary for the farming tasks within said farms to public highways to which they may have access. The construction of pathways and roads may include sections outside of each farm when serving the purpose of connecting its interior roads with roads travelled by vehicles, to shorten distances or to improve the accessibility or facility of transportation for the general benefit, provided that the necessary permits for such purposes be obtained. To such effect, the Agricultural Services Administration is hereby authorized to acquire machinery and equipment, pipelines for the drainage of said facilities, to employ personnel and to incur in any other necessary expenses under the terms of this chapter. The Machinery and Equipment Service Program for the Construction of Pathways and Roads shall be integrated with the Agricultural Machinery Program of the Agricultural Services Administration for all operational and administrative purposes, and the machinery, resources and the equipment of each one of said programs can therefor be used indistinctly for one or the other purpose, in accordance with the needs of the moment in the manner which might be most convenient to the farmers in particular and for the agriculture of the country in general.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 11, p. 58, § 1; May 30, 1970, No. 72, p. 184.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 2A - Machinery and Equipment Service Program for Pathways and Roads (§§ 35 — 35e) › § 35a - Inclusion in budget

The cost for the replacement of machinery and equipment and the administrative expenses of this program shall, on and from the Fiscal Year 1967-68, be included in the General Budget of Expenses of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 11, p. 58, § 3.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 2A - Machinery and Equipment Service Program for Pathways and Roads (§§ 35 — 35e) › § 35b - Rules and regulations; payment by farmer of operation expenses

The Secretary of Agriculture shall be empowered to prescribe rules and regulations to fulfill the purposes of this chapter; it being understood that, in order that the cost of this service be as low as possible, the farmer shall pay only the operation expenses of the machinery and the equipment. By operation expenses it will be understood only the cost of the fuel and the oil, and the wages to be paid to the worker or workers operating the machinery and the equipment for the time worked on the farm of the farmer.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 11, p. 58, § 4; May 26, 1967, No. 76, p. 274, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 2A - Machinery and Equipment Service Program for Pathways and Roads (§§ 35 — 35e) › § 35c - Personnel

The personnel appointed chargeable to the funds appropriated by this chapter shall be included in the Exempt Service created by Act No. 345 of May 12, 1947, as amended.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 11, p. 58, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 2A - Machinery and Equipment Service Program for Pathways and Roads (§§ 35 — 35e) › § 35d - Faculties, rights and powers

There is hereby vested in the Agricultural Services Administration all such faculties, rights and powers that may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter, including, without it being construed as a limitation, the following:
(a) To receive as a gift from any natural or artificial person or from any private or public institution, money, equipment, machinery or services to be used or invested in accordance with the purposes of this chapter.
(b) To execute with any natural or juridical person contracts, covenants or agreements to carry out the purposes of this chapter.
(c) To acquire all kinds of real estate, properties and equipment and machinery that may be necessary for the implementation of this chapter.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 11, p. 58, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 2A - Machinery and Equipment Service Program for Pathways and Roads (§§ 35 — 35e) › § 35e - Farmers Advisory Committee—Creation

To facilitate the cooperation between the farmers and the government in the attainment of the purposes pursued by this chapter there is created a Farmers Advisory Committee designated by the Secretary of Agriculture, which shall have the function of advising the Agricultural Services Administration in all relative to the development of the program created by this chapter.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 11, p. 58, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55a - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Creation; sale of products

There is hereby established a revolving fund for the stabilization of prices, distribution and marketing of the foodstuffs produced in Puerto Rico, which shall be known as the “Farm Products Marketing Fund”. Likewise, from the appropriation provided in § 55g of this title and from any other subsequent appropriation that may be made by the Legislature for the purposes specified in §§ 55a—55h of this title, there shall be covered into said fund the money obtained from the sale of foodstuffs produced in Puerto Rico acquired to carry out said purposes, in order that they be used for the same purposes.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 1; May 31, 1967, No. 84, p. 291.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55b - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Purpose

The Farm Products Marketing Fund shall be used by the Secretary of Agriculture for the purpose of developing activities tending to achieve greater efficiency and the highest possible degree of stability and order in the marketing of agricultural products.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 2.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55c - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Food products or locally produced goods; concept

For the purposes of §§ 55a—55h of this title there shall be considered as foodstuffs or products produced in the country everything obtained for human consumption from the practice of agriculture and from the cattle industry in all its branches, including apiculture and aviculture and all products derived from any of said activities, either fresh or in any manner elaborated or preserved. Said terms shall also include products of local fishing in fresh water and fresh fish, mollusks and crustaceans caught in salt waters by Puerto Rican fishing boats and brought to the Island for their consumption or elaboration.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 2(a); May 6, 1968, No. 35, p. 53.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55e - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Secretary of Agriculture; transfer of food products to public institutions

The Secretary of Agriculture may transfer free of cost or at a lower price the foodstuffs he may acquire to commonwealth and municipal public institutions when in his judgment the public interest may so require due to the low prices or other unfavorable economic factors prevailing in the marketing of said products, when it is impossible to store same due to their perishable nature or when their storage for future sale is unadvisable or unfeasible due to the high costs incurred in carrying out said storage.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 4.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55f - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Personnel

The personnel necessary to carry out the purchase and sale operations of the foodstuffs as well as the field personnel appointed chargeable to the funds appropriated by §§ 55a—55h of this title shall be included in the Exempt Service pursuant to Act No. 345 of May 12, 1947, as amended, which created the Office of Personnel of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The other personnel shall remain in the Non-competitive Service. In the administration of this program there shall not apply the provisions of Act Aug. 4, 1947, No. 49, as amended, which created the Office of Transportation, nor the provisions of Act June 29, 1954, No. 96, as amended, which created the Procurement Service.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 5.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55g - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Appropriation

The sum of one million one hundred forty thousand dollars ($1,140,000) is hereby appropriated from unencumbered funds in the Commonwealth Treasury to the Secretary of Agriculture to be covered into the Farm Products Marketing Fund to begin its operations. Out of this sum, five hundred ninety thousand dollars ($590,000) shall be effective upon the approval of this act and five hundred fifty thousand dollars ($550,000) shall be effective July 1, 1967.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 6.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 55h - Farm Products Marketing Fund—Annual operations and expense report

The Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Legislature at the beginning of each regular session, a report containing a relation as detailed as possible of its operations in compliance with §§ 55a—55h of this title and of the amounts used for administrative and operation expenses.
History —Dec. 9, 1966, No. 9, p. 46, § 7.
2023 Laws of Puerto Rico › TITLE FIVE - Agriculture (§§ 1 — 4706) › Chapter 3 - Food, Marketing, Production and Distribution (§§ 51 — 66) › § 56 - Transfers to Land Authority—Food and calcspar production and distribution programs

The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby empowered to transfer to the Land Authority, with the approval of the Governor, the food production and distribution program created under Act No. 1, approved January 24, 1951, and the calcspar production and distribution program of the Bureau of Conservation of Agricultural Resources of the Department of Agriculture.
History —June 30, 1955, No. 107, p. 644, § 1, eff. 30 days after June 30, 1955.