This study analyzes the process of issuing public documents which have not been certified and, consequently, have not been handed over to the parties concerned as a result of the death of the notary who was present at the time it was submitted and who was responsible for recording it in the register. Even though legislation adopted under Alfonso X made these norms confusing, in practice we can observe how judicial intervention was necessary in order for these notarial deeds to be legally binding. It was essential for the individual concerned to turn to the judicial authorities who could grant a licence to the successor of the notary in order to prepare a deed having previously checked the authenticity of the draft found in the deceased notary's register. This study provides insight into an issue that was previously ill-known, namely the procedure undertaken to produce a formal and definitive deed based on the register of a deceased notary.