Which of the following must be signed in the presence of the notary?

Which of the following must be signed in the presence of the notary?

• A. An acknowledgment
• B. A jurat
• C. A certificate
• D. None of the above

Answer: (B)

A jurat is a certification that a person has sworn before a notary public to the truth of the contents of a document. For a jurat to be valid, the signer must sign the document in the presence of the notary, allowing the notary to witness the signing and then administer an oath or affirmation regarding the truthfulness of the statement made in the document. This direct witnessing is essential because it ensures that the notary has observed the signer’s action and can verify their identity and willingness to sign. In contrast, an acknowledgment only requires that the signer appear before the notary and acknowledge that they signed the document willingly, which may not require the actual act of signing to occur in the notary's presence. A certificate is a formal statement issued by the notary, often contained within the same document or as a separate document, and is typically not something that the notary signs in conjunction with the signing of another document.

A jurat is a certification that a person has sworn before a notary public to the truth of the contents of a document. For a jurat to be valid, the signer must sign the document in the presence of the notary, allowing the notary to witness the signing and then administer an oath or affirmation regarding the truthfulness of the statement made in the document. This direct witnessing is essential because it ensures that the notary has observed the signer’s action and can verify their identity and willingness to sign.

In contrast, an acknowledgment only requires that the signer appear before the notary and acknowledge that they signed the document willingly, which may not require the actual act of signing to occur in the notary's presence. A certificate is a formal statement issued by the notary, often contained within the same document or as a separate document, and is typically not something that the notary signs in conjunction with the signing of another document.