[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-410986-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-410986-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","torcaso-case-in-news-again-religious-test-banned","Torcaso Case In News Again - Religious Test Banned","","Report summarizes U.S. notary oath changes and the legal background of religious freedom. It recalls the 1959 Roy R. Torcaso case, where the Supreme Court ruled Maryland’s Article 37 unconstitutional and found it invaded belief and religion. The article explains that officials should offer an alternate non-religious affirmation, yet practice may fail to inform objecting notaries. It also describes Nevada and Wisconsin law updates on notarial seals and outlines broader legislative outcomes across states.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/religion-spirituality/","Religion & Spirituality",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/torcaso-case-in-news-again-religious-test-banned/410986/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/torcaso-case-in-news-again-religious-test-banned/410986.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"McQueen","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-08","2026-09-28",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",7,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"What did Roy R. Torcaso challenge in 1959?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"He refused to take Maryland’s religious oath and sued to force issuance of his notary commission, after the clerk denied it for refusing the oath.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What did the U.S. Supreme Court decide about Maryland’s oath?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The Court held the declaration in the Maryland notary oath unconstitutional, finding that Article 37 invaded Torcaso’s freedom of belief and religion.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How did Nevada change requirements for notarial seals in 1965?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Nevada no longer required a seal on notarized documents; instead, a statement in black ink with specified elements, including the notary’s name and commission expiration date, authenticates official acts.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},410986,1791235506,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & 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Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":116,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":97,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},5909890329169,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_9964176cb1d06d4a9deccf72a44ae3dc","# Torcaso CaseIn News Again\n\nMontgomery County,Maryland in 1965was still giving newly-appointed NotariesPublic a religious oath containing a declara-tion of belief in the existence of God al-though the United States Supreme Courtruled in June of 1961 that a Maryland notarycould not be required to take such an oath.  \nState officials will now give an alternate,non-religious affirmation to notaries and letthem take office anyway if they object to thereligious oath,but that fact is not alwaysmade known to them.They are not alwaysinformed when offered the religious oaththat they may make an affirmation instead.  \nThe oath currently administered is nodifferent from the one offered to and re-fused by Roy R.Torcaso in 1959.Torcasowas denied his notary's commission byClayton K.Watkins,Clerk of Montgomery  \nCounty,on that oc-  \ncasion for refusing to  \ntake the oath and he  \nbrought suit against  \nWatkins to force is-  \nsuance of the com-  \nmission.State courts  \nupheld Watkins'de-  \nnial of the commis-  \nsion and the case was  \nappealed to the U.S.  \nToreaso  \nSupreme Court,which  \ndecided for Torcaso and specifically brand-ed the declaration in the Maryland oathunconstitutional.The Court found thatArticle 37 of the Maryland Constitution,which had been used as authority for thedeclaration,was an invasion of Torcaso'sfreedom of belief and religion.  \n# Religious Test Banned\n\nArticle 37 of the Declaration of Rightsgenerally provides for the protection ofreligious freedom and bans a \"religioustest\"as a qualification for holding office,but excludes from its ban“a declarationof belief in the existence of God.\"  \nThe text of the article in the MarylandConstitution declares:\"That no religioustest ought to be required as a qualificationfor any office of profit or trust in this State,other than a declaration of belief in theexistence of God:nor shall the Legislatureprescribe any other oath of office than theoath prescribed by this Constitution.\"  \n(continued on page 3)  \n# Nevada And Wisconsin AdoptLaws Changing Notarial Seal:Seven States Reject Changes\n\nA notaria seal is no longer required on notarized documents in Nevada as the result of arecent change in the law.Nevada law now requires a Notary Public to authenticate all of hisofficial acts,including acknowledgements,jurats,verifications and other certificates,by set-ting forth the venue,his signature,and,instead of the traditional seal,a statement imprinted inblack ink with a rubber or other mechanical stamp which includes his name,the phrase\"Notary Public,State of Nevada,\"and the date on which his commission expires.The newrequirement became effective July 1,1965  \n# An Editorial...\n\nIn this,the first issue of THEAMERICAN NOTARY,wepledge our best efforts to makingthis a truly effective organ in pro-moting the aims and purposes ofthe American Society of Notaries.  \nThe Charter Members of ASNhave shown perception and fore-sight in founding a national organiza-tion of notaries such as those whichexist in many other countries.Theneed for such an organization in theUnited States is evidenced,in part,by the increasing amount of legis-lation affecting notaries.  \nWe will endeavor to cover all ofthe current news of interest tonotaries.And we will select otherinformative articles and featureswhich will be helpful to our membersin their regular occupations.  \nReaders are invited to submitnews items which will be of interestto notaries and to make suggestionswhich will improve this publicationin any way.  \n# “Notarized”NotebookMay Win Patent\n\nThe ultimate patent rights to the lasermay be decided by a scientist's notebookwhich was \"notarized\"by a candy storeoperator in New York City.  \nThe laser,which has been described asone of the most brilliant research develop-(continued on page 4)  \nCalifornia La Compared.  \nThe change in Nevada law is similar tothe one adopted by California in 1963.According to California law,the seal ofevery Notary Public whose commissionwas issued after January 1,1964,may bea","cbCaiolKvrDKKFhl","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiolKvrDKKFhl","pdf",2322152,"English","# Torcaso Case In News Again\n## Religious Test Banned\n# Nevada And Wisconsin Adopt Laws Changing Notarial Seal\n## Seven States Reject Changes\n# Nevada Seal Change Compared To California\n# Wisconsin Amends Law\n# Bills Fail in 7 States\n# An Editorial...\n# “Notarized” Notebook May Win Patent\n## Laser patent context","[{\"question\":\"What did Roy R. Torcaso challenge in 1959?\",\"answer\":\"He refused to take Maryland’s religious oath and sued to force issuance of his notary commission, after the clerk denied it for refusing the oath.\"},{\"question\":\"What did the U.S. Supreme Court decide about Maryland’s oath?\",\"answer\":\"The Court held the declaration in the Maryland notary oath unconstitutional, finding that Article 37 invaded Torcaso’s freedom of belief and religion.\"},{\"question\":\"How did Nevada change requirements for notarial seals in 1965?\",\"answer\":\"Nevada no longer required a seal on notarized documents; instead, a statement in black ink with specified elements, including the notary’s name and commission expiration date, authenticates official acts.\"}]","Torcaso Case In News Again - Religious Test Banned | PDF",1790587023,13]