Chap. 399.—An ACT to amend and re-enact section 2850 of the Code of Virginia,
relatintg to appointment, terms of office and bonds of notaries public. [S B 365]

Approved March 29, 1932

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That section
twenty-eight hundred and fifty of the Code of Virginia, be amended
and re-enacted so as to read as follows:

Section 2850. The governor shall appoint in and for the several
counties and cities of the State as many notaries as to him may seem
proper, who shall hold office for the term of four years, and who shall
exercise the powers and functions of conservators of the peace, and
who shall be removable by the governor at will for misconduct, in-
capacity or neglect of official duty; but in every case where the gov-
ernor shall remove a notary public from office, he shall report such
action with his reasons therefor, to the next session of the general
assembly. He may appoint the same person to serve for two or more
counties and cities, in which case only one commission shall be issued
and the fee for issuing the same shall be three dollars for the first
county or city and five dollars for each additional county or city, for
which such notary is appointed to serve. Notaries in cities and coun-
ties in which cities or parts thereof are located, shall have authority
to act as such in each of said localities. Each notary shall give bond
with surety in the circuit court of the county, or corporation court of
the city, for which the said notary is appointed, or if the appointment
be for more than one county or city, then in one of such courts, or
before the judge of such court in vacation, or before the clerk thereof,
within four months from the date of said notary’s commission, in a
penalty of not less than five hundred dollars, with condition for the
faithful discharge of the duties of his office; and the clerk of said
court shall immediately forward a certified copy of said bond to the
secretary of the Commonwealth. If any person appointed shall fail to
qualify within four months from the date of his appointment the clerk
of the court shall return his commission to the secretary of the Com-
monwealth. The removal of a notary from the county or city in which
said notary resided when appointed, unless said removal be into an-
other county or city for which said notary may have been appointed,
shall be construed as a vacation of said office, and the clerk of the cir-
cuit court of said county or corporation court of said city shall at once
inform the governor of the fact, as well as of all deaths of notaries that
may occur. It shall be the duty of the secretary of the Commonwealth
when a commission is ordered by the governor, to send the same to the
clerk of the circuit court of the county or corporation court of the city
in which, or in one of which, the notary public is required to qualify,
to be delivered by him to the notary public after said notary public
has given bond, and taken oath of office; and the clerk of the court in
which this is done shall forthwith report the fact to the secretary of
the Commonwealth, who shall keep a book, stating the names and
numbers of notaries public, when appointed and when qualified.