Basic Information You Need to Know About Notarization

To make your document legally binding, it is important that you sign it. Your signature would make the document effective but you also have to remember that not all signing processes are valid. Sometimes you would need a notary public to officiate while you, as well as other parties, sign the documents. In other situations, the presence of witnesses is also required to ensure that the documents are correct and that all parties have signed.

If you have not done the notarization process before, you might find it very confusing. You can get more info about notarization as you read further in this article.

What does a notary public do?

A notary public is appointed by the state and is authorized to notarize documents. Their job is to confirm the identity of all parties involved and to make sure that they fully understand the content of the documents. Moreoever, a notary public would bear witness as the parties sign the documents to avoid fraud.

Notaries follow a set of rules and are expected to exercise good judgment, to be professional and impartial. Since they act as state representatives, notaries must be responsible and must not put their self-interest to hinder their responsibilities.

Here are some of the responsibilities of a notary public:

• Provide proof of notarization by putting a seal or stamp on the documents
• Do a verbal confirmation that all parties involved fully understand the contents of the documents
• Authenticate the documents
• Be present in the signing of the documents

Aside from those tasks and responsibilities, a notary public should also administer oaths and affirmations to ensure the document’s trueness. Moreover, they should certify copies of documents, witness signing, and more.

However, there can be times that a notary public can refuse to offer their services especially if they are unsure of the signee’s identity or if they suspect that there is a fraud. Refusal can also happen if the parties do not understand the documents and if they believe that one of the parties has been coerced.

Learn about other information about public notaries through doing your own research.

What is a notary public’s purpose?

Successfully notarizing a legal document means that the notary public can attest to its proper execution and validity. You would need the services of a notary especially if you are doing transactions with a financial institution. They need notarized legal documents to avoid fraud.

Moreover, when you get a power of attorney, the notary public would check the identity of the signees and to ensure that none of the parties were forced to sign the document.

Aside from those purposes mentioned above, a notary public’s another purpose is that they make documents legal and valid. In some cases, legal documents would not be valid until it is notarized.

If you have your documents notarized, you and other parties that signed the documents could benefit by not going to court anymore to testify the authenticity of the signatures. Since the notary public has confirmed the document, they would be the ones to testify about its authenticity in court.

Unfortunately, there can be instances that you cannot go to a public notary’s office. If this happens, you can always hire a mobile notary. You can see their reviews here about mobile notary