What action should be taken if a notary’s journal is compromised?

In the event that a notary's journal is compromised, the appropriate action is to notify the secretary of state. This step is essential because a notary's journal serves as an official record of all notarial acts performed, and any compromise to this journal raises serious concerns about the integrity of those records. Notifying the secretary of state ensures that they are aware of the situation and can take any necessary measures to protect the notary and the public. This action helps to maintain the trust in the notary's practices and aids in preventing potential fraud or misuse of the compromised journal.

Simply ignoring the situation or hoping it resolves itself would leave the notary vulnerable, while utilizing a different journal or recording in a new journal without reporting the compromise does not address the underlying issue or the risk posed to past transactions. The protocol for handling such situations necessitates informing the appropriate regulatory authority, which is the secretary of state in this case. This not only protects the notary but also serves the public interest by ensuring that the journal records remain secure and reliable.