Document notarization
In the United States,
generally speaking, a notary public is a public official appointed
by the government to serve the public as an impartial witness.
Such individual is not required to have special education. Non-attorney
notary may not offer legal advice, may not prepare documents,
and cannot recommend how one should sign something or even what
type of notarization is necessary. However, in our firm we have
attorney-notary and therefore our notaries can render legal
advice. Each state in the United States has different requirements
for becoming a notary public and performing notary activities
called notarizations.
Notarization is the “act
of witnessing” by the notary public in accordance with specifications
of state law. Notarization involves signed documents and requires
the notary to ensure the signer's identity and willingness to
sign.
The notarization of a
document is designed to:
• detect and
deter fraud when the proper steps of notarization are followed.
However, a notarization
does not:
• prove the
truthfulness of statements contained in the document,
• legalize
or validate the document, or
• by itself
protect a person's rights to his/her artistic creations or inventions.
Notary is authorized
to acknowledge signatures, take oaths and affirmations, and
certify copies of non-government documents. Documents certified
by notaries usually are sealed with the notary's seal and are
recorded by the notary in a register. These are known as "notarial
acts".
The primary types
of notarizations are acknowledgement, jurat,
affidavit, and certification of a copy.
