Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Flashcards
7 cards from real ND NOTARY practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Legal and Ethical Responsibilities flashcards as text
A notary in North Dakota discovers after completing a notarization that the signer was not actually present in person. What is the notary's ethical obligation?
Answer: Report the incident to the Secretary of State and consult an attorney
A notary who discovers a fraudulent or improper notarization must report it and seek legal guidance to protect the public and themselves.
Under North Dakota law, which of the following acts is specifically prohibited for a notary public?
Answer: Notarizing a document in which the notary has a direct financial interest
A notary with a direct financial interest in a transaction has a conflict of interest and is prohibited from notarizing related documents.
When is a North Dakota notary permitted to notarize a document for a family member?
Answer: Only if the notary has no direct financial interest in the transaction
Notarizing for a family member is not automatically prohibited, but the notary must have no direct financial interest in the document or transaction.
A signer presents a valid passport as identification but the notary personally knows the person used a different name professionally. What should the notary do?
Answer: Accept the passport as satisfactory evidence of identity and proceed
A current, unexpired government-issued photo ID such as a passport is satisfactory evidence of identity regardless of other names the signer may use.
What ethical responsibility does a North Dakota notary have regarding keeping their notarial seal secure?
Answer: The notary must keep the seal under their exclusive control at all times
The notarial seal is an official instrument and must remain exclusively under the notary's control to prevent unauthorized use.
A client pressures a North Dakota notary to backdate a notarial certificate to reflect an earlier signing date. The notary should:
Answer: Refuse — backdating a notarial certificate is a fraudulent act
Backdating a notarial certificate is fraudulent and constitutes grounds for commission revocation and potential criminal liability.
Which statement best describes a North Dakota notary's duty of impartiality?
Answer: A notary must serve all eligible requesters equally without bias or personal interest
Impartiality is a core duty: a notary must not favor any party and must serve all eligible signers equally.