Opinion ID: 2625926
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Modern Application of Subscribing Witness Statute

Text: ¶ 19 The hierarchy of proof favoring the testimony of subscribing witnesses remains in effect and we must enforce it. This is because this court assumes that the legislature, in repealing the requirement that a subscribing witness sign every deed for it to be valid, yet retaining the provision now found in section 57-2-10, was mindful of the retained provision and its related subject matter and wished it to be given effect. See Murray City v. Hall, 663 P.2d 1314, 1318 (Utah 1983) (citing 2A C. Sands, Sutherland Statutory Construction § 51.02 (4th ed.1973) for the proposition that legislatures know of statutes of related subject matter and have them in mind when enacting new statutes). ¶ 20 Accordingly, we hold that when a notary acknowledges the execution of a deed, having personally witnessed that execution, the notary qualifies as a subscribing witness within the meaning of section 57-2-10. We reverse the ruling of the trial court to the extent it prohibited introduction of handwriting evidence on deeds acknowledged by a notary who did not contemporaneously witness the execution of the deed. We remand on those deeds where it is not apparent in the record whether the acknowledging notary personally witnessed the execution of the questioned deed. See infra Part IV.C. ¶ 21 Our holding is in accord with the definition of subscribing witness found in Black's Law Dictionary and with good public policy. A subscribing witness is [o]ne who witnesses the signatures on an instrument and signs at the end of the instrument to that effect. Black's Law Dictionary 1597 (7th ed.1999). Requiring a notary to personally witness the execution of an instrument for her acknowledgment to be given the weight of a subscribing witness's signature reflects both the desire to effectuate, in a modern context, the strong presumption of proof given subscribing witnesses' signatures and the need to guard against the potential for mischief that follows from granting that same presumption to a notarial acknowledgment of a previously executed instrument.