Ethical Considerations and Responsibilities Flashcards

During a remote online notarization (RON) in Georgia, the notary loses audio/video connection mid-ceremony. What is the ethical requirement?

Answer: Restart the entire notarial ceremony from the beginning once connectivity is restored

Georgia RON requirements mandate a continuous, complete audio-video session; if connectivity fails, the ceremony must restart to ensure full compliance.

A Georgia notary conducting a RON notices the signer appears to be reading from a script when answering identity verification questions. What should the notary do?

Answer: Terminate the session and refuse the notarization due to suspicion of fraud

Credible suspicion that a signer is being coached through scripted answers is grounds for refusing the notarization to prevent fraud.

What ethical principle underlies the requirement that Georgia notaries not prepare the documents they notarize (unless they are licensed attorneys)?

Answer: It prevents conflicts of interest and unauthorized practice of law

Preparing legal documents is the practice of law, and non-attorney notaries who draft documents create a conflict of interest on top of a legal violation.

A notary is approached by a signer who offers to pay double the fee if the notary skips the oath for a jurat. What is the correct response?

Answer: Refuse; administering the oath is a mandatory element of a jurat that cannot be skipped or waived

Jurats require a verbally administered oath or affirmation; omitting it invalidates the notarial act and constitutes misconduct regardless of compensation.

What does it mean for a Georgia notary to act with 'reasonable care'?

Answer: Taking all steps a prudent notary would take to ensure each act is lawful, accurate, and fraud-free

Reasonable care requires a notary to thoughtfully apply all applicable laws and ethical standards to every individual notarial act.

A Georgia notary is aware that a document they are asked to notarize contains a forged signature from an earlier page. What must the notary do?

Answer: Refuse to notarize the entire document and consider reporting the suspected fraud

Knowingly participating in notarizing a document containing forged elements exposes the notary to criminal liability; refusal and potential reporting are required.

Which of the following best describes why a Georgia notary should never guarantee the validity or legal effect of a notarized document?

Answer: Because the notary's role is limited to certifying the signing act, not the document's content or enforceability

A notary certifies only that a signature was properly made before them—they make no representation about the document's legal sufficiency or enforceability.