Ethical Considerations and Responsibilities Flashcards
7 cards from real GA 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 Ethical Considerations and Responsibilities flashcards as text
Why is maintaining an accurate notarial journal considered an ethical duty in Georgia?
Answer: It creates an accountability record that protects the public and the notary from fraud claims
A complete and accurate journal provides a reliable record of each notarial act, protecting all parties against allegations of fraud or error.
A Georgia notary's official seal is lost or stolen. What is the immediate ethical obligation?
Answer: Report the loss to the appropriate authorities and stop notarizing until a new seal is obtained
A lost or stolen seal must be reported promptly to prevent misuse, and notarizations should cease until a secure replacement is obtained.
How long must a Georgia notary retain journal records after their commission expires?
Answer: Three years from the date of each notarial act
Georgia requires notaries to keep journal records for at least three years from the date of each notarial act, even after the commission expires.
A notary is asked by their employer to share the notarial journal so the employer can review all client transactions. What is the ethical concern?
Answer: The journal contains confidential signer information that the notary must protect from unauthorized disclosure
Journal entries contain personally identifiable information, and the notary has an ethical duty to protect signer confidentiality from unauthorized third-party access.
What must a Georgia notary do with their journal and seal when their commission is revoked?
Answer: Immediately surrender the seal and transfer journal records as directed by Georgia law
Upon revocation, a notary must relinquish their seal and official records per Georgia Secretary of State procedures to prevent continued unauthorized use.
A notary realizes they made a clerical error in a journal entry after the fact. What is the proper ethical correction method?
Answer: Strike through the error with a single line, make the correction, and initial and date the change
Errors in official records must be corrected with a single strikethrough so the original entry remains legible, with initials and date confirming the change.
Which action reflects a notary's ethical responsibility regarding their notarial stamp?
Answer: Keeping the stamp under the notary's exclusive control at all times
The notarial stamp is the exclusive tool of the commissioned notary and must never be accessible to or used by anyone else.