Terms Used In Maryland Code, STATE GOVERNMENT 18-213

  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • state: means :

    (1) a state, possession, territory, or commonwealth of the United States; or

    (2) the District of Columbia. See
(a) If a notarial act is performed under the authority and in the jurisdiction of a foreign state or constituent unit of the foreign state or is performed under the authority of a multinational or international governmental organization, the act has the same effect under the laws of this State as if performed by a notarial officer of this State.

(b) If the title of office and indication of authority to perform notarial acts in a foreign state appears in a digest of foreign law or in a list customarily used as a source for that information, the authority of an officer with that title to perform notarial acts is conclusively established.

(c) The signature and official stamp of an individual holding an office described in subsection (b) of this section are prima facie evidence that:

(1) the signature is genuine; and

(2) the individual holds the designated title.

(d) An apostille in the form prescribed by the Hague Convention of October 5, 1961, and issued by a foreign state party to the Convention conclusively establishes that:

(1) the signature of the notarial officer is genuine; and

(2) the notarial officer holds the individual office.

(e) A consular authentication issued by an individual designated by the U.S. Department of State as notarizing officer for performing notarial acts overseas and attached to the record with respect to which the notarial act is performed conclusively establishes that:

(1) the signature of the notarial officer is genuine; and

(2) the notarial officer holds the individual office.