A Very Bad Experience.
I called his office to notarize my signature on a mortgage document. I gave them details of the form and why I was signing and was given a time two days later to visit the office. My realtor followed up with a call to confirm the appointment. At the time agreed, I arrived to the office. Mr. Rutledge's assistant remembered the phone conversation with me. I handed her the form. She took it into Mr. Rutledge's office, which is separated from the waiting room by a glass partition. She left the door open. I could see and hear everything. He was sitting with his back to me. She handed him the form. He looked through it then pointed at my name typed on the form and said "who is this?" She said the person wanting to be notarized. "No, I'm not doing it." She came out and handed me back the form and said, "He won't do it." I asked why? She said, "It's the name." I have a Middle Eastern name. I must have looked puzzled, because she then pointed at my name on the form and asked, "Who is this?" I said it was me and I have my ID with me. She asked, "Who referred you to us?" I told her the name of my realtor. That seemed to make a difference. She went back into the office and told him I was referred by my realtor, whose name she gave. He replied, "Yeah, so! I said I won't do it." She returned and handed me the form and said "He won't do it."
That day I called another notary and went to see her. I had the form notarized in minutes. I asked her if there was any reason she could see why a notary would refuse to notarize my signature on this document. She said "No, not at all." I told her what happened and her response was "This is beyond bizarre."
I told my realtor and she called Rutledge and spoke with him. I understand she found his response unsatisfactory.
As I had no problem getting my form notarized at another notary, and the only conversation I had in Rutledge's office was over my name, I can only assume Mr. Rutledge has a problem with people whose names are not English and who, therefore, are likely born abroad or who might have a tint of colour to their skin. read more
