A hospital or a nursing home

If the signer is in a hospital or a nursing home, I come to the room. Many people in those buildings cannot come to me. Say so when you book, and give me the name of the facility, the room if you have it, and the desk or the person who knows I am coming. I do not keep walk-in hours, and I do not arrive unannounced.

The signer still has to be there. Government Code § 406.0091 requires personal appearance. Personal appearance is not a family member describing what the signer wants. The signer has to be willing to sign, and able to sign, at the time I am in the room. If the signer refuses, does not seem to understand the document, or appears to be under pressure, I do not perform the act. I am not a doctor, and I do not decide whether someone is well enough to sign. If I am not satisfied that the signer is acting freely, the appointment ends.

Bring a current government photo ID for each signer, and bring the complete document. A missing page or a blank in the terms of the document stops the act. I do not fill in a blank, and I do not tell you what the document should say. If the document has witness lines, those people have to be in the room. I do not bring a witness. The facility decides who may be in the room. I follow that rule.

The location fee is $25. It is separate from the notarial act and from the travel. Government Code § 406.024 sets the fee for the act. An acknowledgment is $10 for the first signature and $1 for each additional signature. An oath or a jurat is $10. Mileage is a round trip from 3517 78th Drive. The first 10 miles are $10, and each mile after that is $1. If the desk holds me, waiting is $10 for the first 15 minutes and $10 for each additional 15-minute period. An evening or a weekend adds the posted time-of-day amount. None of those lines is billed if I do not perform the act.

Weekday appointments are from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Weekend appointments are from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The facility may have tighter hours than I do. If the facility will not let me in, there is no charge. There is no deposit. Payment for a completed act is due when you receive the invoice. I release the notarized documents only after that payment is received.

I do not give legal advice about a medical directive, a power of attorney, or any other paper. If you need to know whether this is the right document, ask a licensed attorney before I arrive. I am not an attorney licensed to practice law in Texas, and I may not give legal advice or accept a fee for legal advice.