Angola Notary Qualification Exam key terms

The public office through which a notary, acting as an impartial official, authenticates facts and legal acts, drafts and authorises instruments, and gives them the evidential force and enforceability that the law attaches to authentic documents.

A document drawn up or authenticated by a competent public official, such as a notary, in the legally required form, which carries a presumption of truth and full evidential value unless challenged through a specific legal procedure.

The trust that the law attributes to statements and acts recorded by a notary in the exercise of his office, so that the document is presumed genuine and accurate as against third parties.

A written instrument prepared and authorised by a notary in the solemn form prescribed by law, recording a legal act or declaration made in his presence, such as a property conveyance, power of attorney or will.

A notarial act in which the notary certifies that a signature on a private document was placed in his presence by a named person, without certifying the content of the document itself.

A copy of an original document that a notary compares with the original and certifies as a true and faithful reproduction, stating the date and the capacity in which he acts.

The set of formalities, including the notary's presence, reading of the instrument, and signature of the parties and notary, that the law requires for certain acts such as mortgages or wills to be valid.

The duty of the notary to serve all parties equally and without bias, refraining from acting where he has a personal interest or a relationship that could compromise his neutrality in the matter.

The notary's duty to keep confidential all facts and information learned in the exercise of his office, disclosing them only where the law expressly requires or authorises disclosure.

A situation in which the notary's personal, family or financial interests, or those of a close associate, could improperly influence his professional conduct, requiring him to decline the act.

The body of ethical rules and professional duties governing the conduct of notaries, covering integrity, diligence, confidentiality, courtesy, and the avoidance of conduct that discredits the profession.

The legal impediment that prevents a notary from officiating in a given act, usually because of kinship, marriage or personal interest in the parties or the transaction, requiring another notary to act.

The obligation to retain and organise notarial instruments, indexes, minutes and supporting documents in an orderly archive, ensuring traceability and availability for inspection and future certification.

The official collection in which the notary keeps the originals or records of instruments he authorises, sequentially numbered and indexed, forming the permanent documentary memory of his office.

The process of identifying and verifying the identity of clients and beneficial owners, understanding the purpose of the transaction, and assessing money-laundering risk before accepting an engagement.

The natural person who ultimately owns or controls a legal entity or transaction, or on whose behalf an operation is carried out, even where another person appears formally as the client.

An individual entrusted with prominent public functions, or a close relative or associate of such a person, whose transactions require enhanced scrutiny because of the higher risk of corruption and laundering.

A confidential report that a notary must send to the competent anti-money-laundering authority when he knows or suspects that funds involved in an act are the proceeds of crime or linked to terrorism financing.

The offence of disclosing to a client or third party that a suspicious transaction report has been or may be made, which is prohibited because it could frustrate investigation.

The legally established table fixing the amounts a notary may charge for each type of act, often calculated on the value of the transaction and subject to mandatory minimum and maximum limits.

The remuneration lawfully due to the notary for performing an act, comprising the fees set by the schedule plus lawful reimbursements for expenses incurred on behalf of the parties.

A tax levied on certain documents and transactions, often collected through the notary when an instrument is executed, calculated by reference to the value or nature of the act.

The legal process by which ownership of immovable property is transferred from seller to buyer, including title verification, drafting of the deed, payment, and registration of the transfer.

The public office that records rights over immovable property, providing publicity and legal certainty as to ownership, charges and encumbrances affecting registered real estate.

The act of entering a right over property in the land registry so that it becomes effective against third parties, protecting the holder through the priority and publicity the register confers.

A real right granted over immovable property to secure the performance of an obligation, allowing the creditor to obtain payment from the value of the asset if the debtor defaults.

A right that a person holds directly over a thing and that is enforceable against everyone, such as ownership, usufruct, use, habitation, surface rights, easements and mortgage.

The legal bond by which a person is bound to give, do or refrain from something in favour of another, giving the creditor a right to demand performance and to seek remedies for breach.

An agreement between two or more parties that creates, modifies or extinguishes obligations, valid when the parties have capacity, give lawful consent, and comply with any required formality.

The failure of a debtor to perform an obligation when due, whether by non-performance, delay or defective performance, entitling the creditor to enforce the obligation or claim damages.

The process of creating a company through a notarial deed of constitution and its registration, giving the entity legal personality and the capacity to hold rights and obligations.

The contractual document, often contained in a public deed, that sets out a company's name, object, capital, governance rules and the rights and duties of its partners or shareholders.

The public register in which companies and other traders are recorded, giving publicity to their constitution, amendments, dissolution and the identity of their governing bodies.

The termination of a company's legal existence through the legally prescribed causes and procedures, followed by liquidation of its assets and liabilities and cancellation of its registration.

A revocable unilateral declaration by which a person disposes of his property for the time after his death, subject to mandatory formal requirements and to the rights of forced heirs.

The legal ability of a person to make a valid will, requiring sufficient mental soundness at the moment of execution and the absence of legal prohibitions such as certain family relationships.

The rule reserving a fixed portion of a deceased person's estate to certain close relatives, the legitimarios, which the testator cannot freely dispose of by will.

The transmission of a deceased person's estate, including rights and obligations, to his heirs, whether by will or by the order of succession established in law.

The procedure for recognising and giving effect to a will, confirming the identity of the heirs and authorising them to administer and divide the estate of the deceased.

The public service that records births, marriages, deaths and other civil status facts of individuals, providing official evidence of identity, family status and capacity.

The legal position of a person in society as determined by facts such as birth, marriage, filiation and death, recorded in the civil registry and affecting rights and capacity.

The legally recognised union of two persons, celebrated in the form required by law and recorded in the civil registry, creating personal and property effects between the spouses.

The legal invalidity of an instrument that fails to comply with essential formalities, is made by a person lacking capacity, or breaches mandatory law, depriving it of its normal effects.