A Wyandotte County judge has ordered a Kansas City, Kansas, man to comply with a Kansas consumer protection law that requires proper disclosures by a notary public advertising its services in a language other than English, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today.
Vincente San Roman, doing business as Notaria Publica San Roman Vivanco & Associados, LLC, has been permanently enjoined from representing himself as being a “notario publico,” or any equivalent non-English term, without including the required disclosures under Kansas law.
District Judge Timothy Dupree this week entered an order in Wyandotte County District Court requiring San Roman to pay investigative fees and expenses in addition to complying 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.
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 who is not admitted to the practice of law in Kansas and who advertises notarial services in a language other than English. The law was designed to protect Spanish-speaking consumers from confusion or deception because, in Spanish, the term “notario publico” designates an individual who has received the equivalent of a license to practice law and represent clients.
The court order included a fee of $7,500 to be paid by San Roman for investigative fees and expenses to the attorney general’s office.
A copy of the order is available at www.InYourCornerKansas.org/judgments.