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Legal and Ethical Responsibilities Flashcards

7 cards from real WV 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
  1. A West Virginia notary is asked to notarize a document for their spouse's business sale in which the notary will receive part of the proceeds. What should the notary do?

    Answer: Decline because the notary has a direct financial interest in the transaction

    West Virginia law prohibits a notary from performing a notarial act on a transaction in which the notary has a direct beneficial or financial interest.

  2. Under West Virginia law, what is the maximum fee a notary public may charge for a single notarial act?

    Answer: $5

    West Virginia caps the fee for a notarial act at $5, and any travel fee must be agreed to in advance.

  3. A signer presents a document with several blank spaces and asks a WV notary to notarize it anyway. The notary should:

    Answer: Refuse until the blanks are completed or lined through

    Notarizing an incomplete document invites fraud, so the notary should require blanks to be filled in or marked through before proceeding.

  4. A non-attorney West Virginia notary who advertises notarial services in Spanish must include a statement that they:

    Answer: Are not licensed to practice law and may not give legal advice

    Non-attorney notaries advertising in a language other than English must disclose that they are not attorneys and cannot give legal advice or accept fees for it.

  5. Which of the following actions would constitute the unauthorized practice of law by a WV notary?

    Answer: Advising a signer which type of deed best protects their interests

    Recommending or selecting legal documents for a signer is legal advice, which non-attorney notaries may not provide.

  6. A WV notary's employer demands they notarize a signature the notary did not witness and whose signer never appeared. The notary should:

    Answer: Refuse, because personal appearance is required regardless of employer pressure

    Personal appearance is a legal requirement that an employer cannot waive, and complying would expose the notary to civil and criminal liability.

  7. If a West Virginia notary knowingly notarizes a forged signature, what consequences may follow?

    Answer: Commission revocation plus possible civil and criminal liability

    Knowingly performing a fraudulent notarization can lead to revocation of the commission as well as civil damages and criminal prosecution.