Why Apostilles are Worthless as a means of verifying a degree

Contract Law, Importance of Apostille, Louisiana Sec of Stat

Louisiana Secretary of State Commissions Division: Our office certifies the signature of the acknowledging Louisiana official, such as Notary Publics, Clerks of Court, Deputy Clerks of Court, Ex-Officio Notary Deputy Sheriffs, Judges, Justices of the Peace, and the Registrar of Vital Records. We also certify transcripts and diplomas signed by state accredited university's registrar, president, dean etc., and transcripts and diplomas signed by the high school's superintendent.

http://www.sos.louisiana.gov/tabid/134/Default.aspx

Obtaining an apostille can be a highly complex process. Getting a birth certificate with apostille in New York, for example, requires applying to three separate offices in succession. In most American states, the process entails obtaining an original, certified copy from the issuing municipal agency and then forwarding it to the State department (or equivalent) of the state in question. Fees are typically modest. Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition.

Contract Law, Importance of Apostille: The Apostille Certificate was created by the Hague Conference, which is a global organisation bringing countries together to try and simplify legal systems from one country to another. Each country has its own legal system so members of the Hague Conference agree on certain issues to follow specific guidelines. The Apostille Certificate is one such agreement or convention, most member countries agree that a document which has been legalised with an Apostille Certificate in its country of origin will be accepted in any other member country. This removes the need for further evidence to be obtained to prove the documents authenticity.

Over 60 countries have agreed to this specific convention on Apostille Certificates, including the UK, most of Europe and the USA.

 

Ok. So if a hypothetical degree-mill sells a totally worthless diploma complete with an apostile, then other people can have more certainty that what they have before them is an authentic copy of a totally worthless diploma.

What's the value in that?

The point of the notarization process is to help ensure that a document accurately reproduces the original text that was actually signed. It doesn't guarantee that the text is true, meaningful or even legal.

In LaSalle's case, there's rarely any question whether graduates are presenting diplomas that originated at LaSalle or whether their wording has been altered. The questions concern whether or not those genuine diplomas ever had any academic meaning in the first place. (We already know that they aren't accredited.)

 

Contract Law, Importance of Apostille, Louisiana Sec of Stat

With the exceptions of Louisiana, Puerto Rico, and Quebec, whose private law is based on civil law, a notary public in the rest of the United States and most of Canada has powers that are far more limited than those of civil-law or other common-law notaries, both of whom are qualified lawyers admitted to the bar: such notaries may be referred to as notaries-at-law or lawyer notaries. Therefore, at common law, notarial service is distinct from the practice of law, and giving legal advice and preparing legal instruments is forbidden to lay notaries.

 

Contract Law, Importance of Apostille, Louisiana Sec of Stat

Contract Law, Importance of Apostille... The Apostille Certificate is one such agreement or convention, most member countries agree that a document which has been legalised with an Apostille Certificate in its country of origin will be accepted in any other member country. This removes the need for further evidence to be obtained to prove the documents authenticity

 

I have to agree 101%. Take for eg Jefferson High School Online Grants GED to Cat. The poor cat will have to go through so much inconvenience without an Apostille. With an Apostille, at least other countries will recognized the worthy cat of its achievements.

 

Authenticity, yes. Credibility, no.

If an individual presents a degree-mill diploma, an apostile might make it more likely that what is presented will be accepted as an authentic degree-mill diploma, as opposed to a fake.

An apostile does NOT suggest that a degree-mill diploma will subsequently be accepted as being an academically legitimate university degree.

 

LOL - that is too funny!

Shawn

 

Disneyland used to sell these fake pirate doubloons. Hence, I may want to authenticate my fake Disneyland pirate doubloons, so if someone asks, "Are those real Disneyland pirate doubloons?" Authentication affirms the source, Disneyland, which unfortunately is powered by real doubloons, and a lot of them...

Now, to tailgate on Bill's point... Is it desirable to authenticate unaccredited degrees from a notorious school? No. It is highly unlikely that anyone would untruthfully claim to have a degree from a notorious school.