Real-Life Decision Making -- Solution
You tell them she has to return with ID before you notarize the contract.
This is the real-life decision made by notary Marilyn J. Smith.
A notary can never take someone's word on anything. Their job is to confirm, with confidence, the identity of the people signing the document.
"These sworn documents are like court documents. If you swear a false document, the consequence is you can go to jail," Smith says. "So, you have to ascertain that this person is the person they say they are."
The second thing a notary has to do is make sure the people understand what they're signing. Sometimes, a translator has to be used, such as when the person speaks another language or is blind.
Most notaries are also lawyers. A lawyer who notarizes a document even though he or she is unsure could be disbarred. That means they would no longer be allowed to practice law.
"Check into it or don't do it," Smith says.