Notarial Acts and Certificates Flashcards

What is an 'acknowledgment' in the context of notarization?

Answer: The signer's declaration that they signed the document voluntarily and for its stated purpose

In an acknowledgment, the signer appears before the notary and declares that they signed the document of their own free will.

What is a 'jurat'?

Answer: A notarial certificate where the signer swears or affirms the truthfulness of a document's contents

A jurat is the notarial certificate used when a signer swears or affirms under oath that the contents of the document are true.

What is the key difference between an acknowledgment and a jurat?

Answer: Jurats require the signer to sign in the notary's presence; acknowledgments do not always require this

For a jurat, the signer must sign the document in the notary's presence and take an oath, whereas for an acknowledgment, the document may have been signed earlier.

What language typically appears on a jurat certificate?

Answer: 'Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me…'

The phrase 'Sworn to (or affirmed) and subscribed before me' is the standard wording indicating the signer took an oath and signed before the notary.

What does a 'copy certification' allow a notary to do?

Answer: Certify that a photocopy is a true and correct copy of an original document

A copy certification is a notarial act in which the notary certifies that a photocopy is an accurate reproduction of an original document.

What is an 'affirmation' as opposed to an 'oath'?

Answer: A solemn declaration for those who object to swearing an oath on religious or other grounds

An affirmation is a legally equivalent alternative to an oath, used by individuals who have religious or conscientious objections to swearing.