Are notaries allowed to provide legal advice?

Are notaries allowed to provide legal advice?

• A. Yes, if they have lawyer training
• B. Only for real estate transactions
• C. No, unless they are licensed attorneys
• D. Yes, as long as they specify that it's not formal advice

Answer: (C)

Notaries public are not permitted to provide legal advice as part of their duties. This is established by the law to maintain a clear boundary between the roles of notaries and licensed attorneys. A notary's primary function is to serve as an impartial witness for the signing of documents, ensuring that the identity of signers is verified and that they are signing willingly and understand the documents they are executing. Since legal advice requires an understanding of complex legal principles and can significantly impact individuals’ rights and obligations, only licensed attorneys, who have been trained in the law and ethical standards, are authorized to provide such advice. By restricting the provision of legal advice to licensed attorneys, the law aims to protect the public from unqualified individuals giving potentially harmful or misleading information. The other options suggest situations where notaries could provide legal advice based on qualifications or contexts, but these do not align with the legal framework surrounding the duties and limitations placed on notaries.

Notaries public are not permitted to provide legal advice as part of their duties. This is established by the law to maintain a clear boundary between the roles of notaries and licensed attorneys. A notary's primary function is to serve as an impartial witness for the signing of documents, ensuring that the identity of signers is verified and that they are signing willingly and understand the documents they are executing.

Since legal advice requires an understanding of complex legal principles and can significantly impact individuals’ rights and obligations, only licensed attorneys, who have been trained in the law and ethical standards, are authorized to provide such advice. By restricting the provision of legal advice to licensed attorneys, the law aims to protect the public from unqualified individuals giving potentially harmful or misleading information.

The other options suggest situations where notaries could provide legal advice based on qualifications or contexts, but these do not align with the legal framework surrounding the duties and limitations placed on notaries.