Peace Officer Journal Inspection

Government Code §8206(c) grants peace officers — including police, sheriff's deputies, and other law enforcement with peace officer status — the right to inspect a notary's sequential journal. No search warrant or court order is required for this inspection right. The notary must make the journal available upon a lawful demand.

Willfully refusing a peace officer's journal inspection subjects the notary to the highest journal-related civil penalty: up to $2,500 (Government Code §8214.1(m)). This is distinct from the $1,500 penalty that applies to willfully refusing a journal copy request from an ordinary member of the public.

A peace officer who has probable cause may also seize the journal as evidence pursuant to a valid search warrant. The notary cannot resist a lawful seizure. Following any seizure, the notary should notify the Secretary of State in writing.

Exam Tip: Two different penalties for two different requestors: $1,500 for willfully refusing a public copy request, and $2,500 for willfully refusing a peace officer's direct inspection. The peace officer's right is broader and the penalty for defiance is steeper. Do not conflate these two scenarios on the exam.