What is a Notary Public?

What Is A Notary Public? By Kent Pinkerton, Wed Dec 7th
A notary public is a public servant appointed by a state official. The general focus of his or her job is to witness the signing of documents and administer oaths. They serve to deter fraud, appearing as an impartial witness for legal documents such as affidavits, deeds or powers of attorney. The presence of a notary public helps to screen for impostors and make sure both parties are entering into an agreement knowingly and willingly.
Historically, notary public date back many centuries to the Roman Empire. Originally, they where chosen by the Pope, who would delegate his powers of appointment to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Certain legal documents require the presence of a notary when they are signed. Other times private companies or individuals may employ the services of a notary in order to strengthen the validity and protect participating parties from fraud.
Some states require that the notary public be present at the time of a document’s signing to be acknowledged as valid, but Otis more often the case that the individual must simply appear before the notary and give proof of identity to have a document notarized.
For proof of identification, a notary typically requires a document with photo, description and signature. Common examples would be a driver’s license, passport or military ID.
Despite the fact that notary publics often deal with sensitive legal documents, they are not licensed to give legal representation, counsel or services in any way. Therefore they can have no part in the preparation of any documents to be notarized.
For those seeking to become a notary public, obtaining a license is a fairly simple task.