Attorney General Ken Paxton today announced that a state district court in El Paso issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) for Moises Eloy Castillo and Servicios Profesionales, L.L.C. for violations of the Texas Deceptive Practices Act (DTPA) and the Texas Notary Public Act. The lawsuit seeks civil penalties of up to $20,000 per violation of the DTPA.
According to the lawsuit, Castillo, a commissioned Texas notary public, solicited customers, through Servicios Profesionales, L.L.C. and other business names, by falsely claiming that he was an attorney with the skill and knowledge to handle his clients’ legal services. During the course of the investigation, it was determined that Castillo is not authorized to practice law in the State of Texas or any other jurisdiction within the United States. Castillo actively advertised his legal services in the State of Texas and promoted himself, through Servicios Profesionales, L.L.C. and other business names, as an attorney offering a variety of legal services including divorces, powers of attorney, custody issues, the preparation of immigration forms and other immigration services.
Under federal law, only attorneys who are licensed to practice law in the United States and organizations accredited by the United States Department of Justice’s Board of Immigration Appeals may offer immigration services to the public. In addition, Texas law authorizes notaries public to witness the signing of legal documents, but specifically forbids them from providing legal services unless they hold a separate license to practice law in the United States. Scam artists have long exploited the misunderstanding between the term notary and the similar-sounding Spanish term notario público, which is used in Latin America to describe highly experienced, specialized attorneys.
To view a copy of lawsuit click here: Original Petition.pdf
To view a copy of restraining order click here:Temporary Restraining Order