Notary Public

Acknowledgments: Confirming the identity of the person signing a document and ensuring they're signing of their own free will.

Jurats: Administering an oath to a person making an affidavit.

Witnessing: Observing the signing of documents to ensure their legitimacy.

Copy Certifications: Attesting to the validity of a photocopy.

Fraud Prevention: By confirming identity and willingness, notaries help deter fraud.

Legal Formality: Some documents require notarization to be legally effective.

Trustworthiness: A notarized document often holds more credibility in legal scenarios.

Legal Advice: Notaries can't provide legal advice unless they're also licensed attorneys.

Document Preparation: In many jurisdictions, notaries aren't allowed to prepare legal documents or act in capacities that might constitute the unauthorized practice of law.

Impartiality: Notaries must remain impartial and cannot notarize documents in which they have a personal interest.