Liberal woman ordered to follow Kansas notario publico law

LIBERAL, Kan. (WIBW) – A woman from Liberal has been ordered by a judge to follow the Kansas notario publico law.

Attorney General Derek Schmidt says a Seward Co. judge ordered a woman from Liberal to comply with Kansas consumer protection laws requiring proper disclosures by a notary public advertising its services in a language other than English.

According to Schmidt, Guadalupe Belmares, under the banner of LB Services, has been permanently prohibited from representing herself as being a notaria publica or any equivalent non-English term, without including the required disclosures under Kansas law. He said District Judge Linda P. Gilmore entered an order in the Seward Co. District Court requiring Belmares to pay investigative fees and expenses as well as to comply with the notario publico law, the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and all other consumer protection rules and regulations in order to continue doing business in the state.

Schmidt said Kansas law requires the disclosure, “I am not authorized to practice law and have no authority to give advice on immigration law or other legal matters,” for any notary public that is not admitted to practice law in Kansas and who advertises notarial services in a language other than English. He said the law was designed to protect Spanish speaking consumers from confusion or deception because in Spanish “notario publico” or “notaria publica” designate an individual that has received the equivalent of a license to practice law and represent clients.