American imperialism had a major effect on the world. In this lesson, find out how a nation became a part of the U.S. for almost 50 years and how one kingdom became a U.S. state.
A notary is a lawyer (though not necessarily so in the United States) or person with legal training who is licensed by the government to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems.[1]
What Notaries Do. The scope of practice for notaries varies by state, but the primary task of a notary is to verify the legitimacy of document signatures. By notarizing a signature, the notary public certifies that he is aware of the signer's identity and that the signature is genuine. In three states, notaries can also officiate at weddings.