The Tennessee attorney general is continuing to crack down on Spanish notaries with misleading advertising. A lawsuit and settlement agreement were filed Wednesday.
“Notary public” translated into Spanish is “notario publico.” But in Spanish-speaking countries, the same phrase refers to a civil-law attorney who can oversee certain everyday transactions. In the state of Tennessee, a notary public not licensed to practice law is required to have a disclaimer in advertising.
Senior counsel Jeff Hill in the Office of the Attorney General says many of the companies aren’t intentionally breaking the law, but customers could still be confused.
“Even if the business doesn’t realize, the consumer may go to them thinking they are an attorney.”
The state has filed suit against Gelsy Cordero of Cookeville for advertising without a disclaimer. The state also has settled outside of court with Visa and Immigration Assistances of Memphis. The company has agreed to modify its notary public ads and pay civil penalties.
So far this year, the Tennessee Attorney General has sued three businesses and settled with four others for similar violations.
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