California Notary Public ExamJuratsMedium
A Notary Public is presented with an affidavit requiring a jurat. The signer has already signed the document. After identifying the signer and administering the oath, the Notary observes a blank space on the second page of the three-page document that requires a signature from the affiant. What is the Notary's appropriate action?
- ACross out the blank space and initial it before completing the jurat.
- BProceed with completing the jurat certificate, ignoring the blank space.
- CInstruct the signer to fill in the blank space immediately, then complete the jurat.
- DRefuse to complete the jurat until the document is complete, including all required signatures.
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Refuse to complete the jurat until the document is complete, including all required signatures.
A Notary Public must ensure that a document is complete before performing a jurat. This includes all signatures required from the affiant within the document itself, not just the final signature block for the jurat.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The Notary cannot alter the document by crossing out spaces; this would be an unauthorized practice of law or modification of the document.
- B. Ignoring blank spaces or missing required signatures is a violation of Notary duties, as it could lead to unauthorized additions later.
- C. While the signer should fill the space, the Notary's role is not to direct the signer on how to complete the document content, but to ensure it is complete before notarizing.
Jurat - Document Completeness
Before performing a jurat, the Notary Public must verify that the document is complete, meaning all blanks are filled in and all required signatures from the affiant within the document itself are present.
- Notary cannot notarize an incomplete document.
- Incompleteness includes unfilled blanks and missing required signatures from the signer.
- Notary does not provide legal advice or instruct on document content.
Memory trick: A Notary's seal doesn't fill blanks; it confirms fully-formed truth.