What is the main responsibility of a notary?

The main responsibility of a notary is to authenticate signatures. This involves verifying the identity of individuals who are signing documents and ensuring that they are doing so willingly and without coercion. The notary serves as an impartial witness to the signing process, which helps to prevent fraud and ensures the proper execution of legal documents. By authenticating signatures, the notary creates a level of trust in the transaction, making the document more credible and legally valid in court.

The role of the notary is strictly defined and does not extend to managing legal documents, providing legal advice, or acting as a mediator. While notaries may come across various legal documents in their work and can acknowledge the authenticity of signatures on them, they do not take on the responsibility of managing those documents or interpreting their legal implications. Additionally, a notary must remain neutral and cannot provide legal counsel or representation in disputes, further distinguishing their role from that of a mediator.