Free WI Notary Ethical Considerations Questions and Answers
A Wisconsin notary is asked to notarize a document in which they have a direct financial interest. What should the notary do?
It is unethical for a notary to notarize a document in which they have a direct financial interest. The notary should refuse to notarize to avoid a conflict of interest and maintain impartiality.
A friend offers to pay you extra for notarizing a document without verifying the signer’s identity. What is the ethical course of action?
It is unethical and illegal for a notary to notarize a document without verifying the signer’s identity. The notary must refuse the request, regardless of any offers of extra payment or personal trust.
A signer requests that a Wisconsin notary backdate a document to make it appear as though it was signed on an earlier date. What is the ethical action for the notary to take?
It is both unethical and illegal for a notary to backdate a document. A notary must refuse such a request and explain that backdating is a violation of notarial law and could result in penalties.
Which of the following is an ethical duty of a Wisconsin notary public?
A notary must always act as an impartial witness, ensuring that notarizations are performed without bias or favoritism. Notaries should not refuse services based on personal beliefs or charge extra fees beyond those allowed by law.
A Wisconsin notary is asked to notarize a document that the notary knows contains false information. What should the notary do?
A notary must refuse to notarize a document that they know contains false information. It is unethical and illegal to participate in any form of fraud or misrepresentation.