If a notary feels unsure about the legitimacy of the document, they should refuse to perform the notarial act. It is important to avoid notarizing documents that might be fraudulent or otherwise improper. The notary should explain the reason for refusal to the signer.
A notary should avoid any situation where they have a financial interest in the document being notarized to prevent conflicts of interest. Ethical guidelines require notaries to remain impartial and not benefit from the transactions they notarize.
In Utah, a notary may notarize documents for family members as long as they maintain impartiality and do not have a financial interest in the document. The notary must ensure that their impartiality is not compromised.
Utah notaries are required to maintain a detailed journal that includes important information such as the date, type of notarial act, names of the signers, and the type of identification used. This ensures accurate record-keeping and accountability for each notarization performed.
If a mistake is discovered after notarization, the notary should contact the signer to correct the error and, if needed, re-notarize the corrected document. Proper procedures must be followed to ensure the document’s validity.
