Liability and Ethics Flashcards
6 cards from real AZ NOTARY practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Liability and Ethics flashcards as text
Under Arizona law, what is the primary ethical obligation of a notary public when performing a notarial act?
Answer: To act as an impartial witness and verify the identity of the signer
An Arizona notary must act as an impartial witness. The notary's role is to verify signer identity and willingness—not to provide legal advice or guarantee document accuracy.
An Arizona notary who negligently performs a notarial act that causes financial harm to another person may be held liable for:
Answer: Civil damages to the injured party
Arizona notaries can face civil liability for negligent or improper notarial acts that cause harm. They may be required to pay damages to injured parties.
Which of the following actions would constitute an ethical violation for an Arizona notary public?
Answer: Notarizing a document in which the notary has a direct financial interest
Notarizing a document in which the notary has a financial interest is prohibited under Arizona notary law, as it violates the requirement of impartiality.
If an Arizona notary public knowingly notarizes the signature of a person who was not physically present, the notary may face:
Answer: Revocation of commission, civil liability, and potential criminal charges
Knowingly notarizing without the signer present (except for RON) is a serious violation that can result in commission revocation, civil liability, and criminal prosecution for fraud.
Which statement best describes an Arizona notary's liability protection under their surety bond?
Answer: The bond protects the public by compensating victims of the notary's misconduct, up to the bond amount
A notary's surety bond protects the public, not the notary. It compensates injured parties up to the bond amount ($5,000 in Arizona), and the notary may still owe the surety company repayment.
An Arizona notary public who is also an attorney is asked by a client to notarize a document the attorney prepared. What is the ethical rule that applies?
Answer: The attorney-notary may notarize if they have no direct financial interest beyond their normal legal fee
Arizona law allows attorney-notaries to notarize documents they prepare provided they do not have a direct financial or beneficial interest in the transaction beyond the standard legal fee for services.