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The notary’s obligations

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My widowed mother has passed away. To establish the certificate of notoriety (acte de notoriété), the notary is asking me to provide her family record book (livret de famille). I cannot find it. Can I obtain a copy?

No. In the event of loss, it is not possible to obtain a copy of the family record book. According to Article 15 of Decree No. 74-449 of 15 May 1974, only a second family record book may be issued, and only to spouses or parents who do not possess…
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When is document legalisation required?

A document must be legalised when it is intended for use in a country that is not a signatory to the Hague Convention or to any international agreement waiving such formalities. The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs maintains an up-to-date table listing the formalities required according to the destination…
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My father has passed away. The notary handling the estate only shows me a copy of his will and informs me that the original is with another notary. Is this legal?

Yes. Only the notary who holds the will (to whom your father entrusted it) is the custodian of the original. As soon as he is informed of the testator’s death, he must immediately draw up a report of opening and condition of the will, specifying the circumstances of its deposit…
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Under a future protection mandate established by the notary of my father (who has since been diagnosed with Alzheimer's), I have become his agent. Is it possible for me to account for my management to my own notary?

No. When the mandate is established in authentic form, the law requires the agent to render his accounts and all "useful supporting documents" to the drafting notary of said mandate (article 491 of the Civil Code).
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I am selling my house, which is connected to the public sewer system (tout-à-l’égout). My notary is requesting a technical inspection of the wastewater drainage system. Is this mandatory?

It depends on the municipality where the property is located. The purpose of this inspection is to verify that wastewater is not being discharged into the stormwater drainage system. This control may be mandatory if: The municipality has issued a local decree requiring it, pursuant to Article L2224-8 of the…
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