Court Opinion

ID: 9544729
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 17:01:02.807605+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T15:13:33.334980
License: Public Domain

Fromme, J.,
dissenting: The majority of this court have abandoned their judicial role of interpreting the law and have stepped into a legislative role of amending what heretofore were mandatory requirements of two different legislative enactments, i.e., K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 53-101, limiting the authority of notaries public; and K.S.A. 59-2102, requiring a consent to adoption to be acknowledged before a notary public.
The first statute authorizes the Secretary of State to appoint notaries public, who may perform notarial acts “in any part of this state.” This limits their jurisdiction to this state. These public officers are considered of such importance to the citizens of this state that they are required to execute and file oaths of office and bonds conditioned for the faithful performance of all notarial acts in accordance with law. Again it should be noted their authority to act as notaries is limited to the confines of the State of Kansas.
The majority, speaking for this court, condones and approves acts performed in Missouri by a Kansas notary public in direct violation of the limits of authority specified in K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 53-101. Such acts in Missouri are in direct violation of the notary’s faithful performance of law requirements in K.S.A. 1980 Supp. 53-102, for which the notary filed an oath and bond. Such unauthorized acts by a Kansas notary performed outside the state can have no more validity than the acts of any other citizen of this state who might witness the execution of that same instrument in Missouri.
The second statute, K.S.A. 59-2102, relates to requirements imposed by the legislature for a valid consent to adoption. The pertinent statute says the consent by a parent “shall be acknowledged before an officer authorized by law to take acknowledg*233ments.” The consent in the present case was signed in Missouri. The person assuming the ostensible role of a notary in this case was not authorized to take acknowledgments in Missouri. The majority hold the consent and the acknowledgment were valid based upon some new theory referred to as “substantial compliance.” The rule of “substantial performance” is recognized and applied in the field of contract law. It should not be extended and used to ascertain when there has been compliance with an otherwise mandatory statute.
The application of such a theory in determining compliance with a statute has the effect of repealing the statute by permitting a court to disregard the requirements of that statute. This is a legislative prerogative. Such a rule will create confusion and litigation over clear, concise and mandatory statutes.
In this case it may appear there was but a slight deviation from the requirements of these statutes. The attorney’s secretary merely crossed over a state line to acknowledge an instrument, and this was in the same metropolitan area where the attorney had his office. However, the effect of this court’s decision, when followed to its logical conclusion, is to permit that same notary to acknowledge any legal instrument in any state of the union, be it Maine or California.
The majority opinion makes bad law. The decision of both the district court and the court of appeals should be affirmed. I respectfully record a dissent.
Prager, J., joins the foregoing dissenting opinion.