Notary

When it comes to legal documents, ensuring their authenticity is of utmost importance. This is where a notary public comes in. A notary public is a public official appointed by the state government to witness the signing of important legal documents and to verify the identity of the signers. Notarization is a process that involves the notary public certifying that the signer of a document is who they claim to be and that they signed the document willingly and knowingly.

In the U.S., a notary provides legal verification of an individual's signature in business and legal transactions. In foreign countries, a notary does the same, but often has broader powers. Many countries require notaries to be trained in law, some require notaries to be lawyers also, and some have different types of notaries whose authority to certify certain documents depends on their training. For example, a foreign notary might prepare legal documents, do a title search, certify title, translate documents, certify translations, and file and register documents with government authorities. Foreign notarial fees are commonly higher than those in the U.S. because of the extended services provided.