Free WI Notary Ethical Considerations Questions and Answers

Question 1

A friend offers to pay you extra for notarizing a document without verifying the signer’s identity. What is the ethical course of action?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to notarize the document unless the signer’s identity is verified.

Answer

Accept the extra payment and notarize the document.

Answer

Notarize the document as long as you trust your friend.

Answer

Ask the signer to sign a waiver releasing you from liability.

Question 2

A Wisconsin notary is asked to notarize a document that the notary knows contains false information. What should the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to notarize the document to avoid participating in fraud.

Answer

Notarize the document and let the signer take responsibility for the content.

Answer

Notarize the document only if the signer acknowledges the false information.

Answer

Notarize the document but report the false information to the authorities.

Question 3

Which of the following is an ethical duty of a Wisconsin notary public?

Accepted Answer

Acting as an impartial witness and performing notarial acts without bias.

Answer

Notarizing documents for close family members to expedite the process.

Answer

Refusing to notarize documents that you don’t personally agree with.

Answer

Charging additional fees for notarizations performed outside of regular business hours.

Question 4

A Wisconsin notary is asked to notarize a document in which they have a direct financial interest. What should the notary do?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to notarize the document due to the conflict of interest.

Answer

Notarize the document, but disclose your interest to the signer.

Answer

Notarize the document if the signer consents to your involvement.

Answer

Notarize the document but avoid benefiting from the transaction.

Question 5

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?

Accepted Answer

Refuse to backdate the document and explain that doing so is illegal.

Answer

Backdate the document if the signer provides a valid reason.

Answer

Backdate the document but keep a private record of the actual date.

Answer

Notarize the document without a date to avoid any legal issues.