A Notary Public is an official appointed by a state government to serve the public as an impartial witness during notarizations. As ministerial officials, they are expected to follow statutory rules without the exercise of significant personal discretion.
Notaries Public certify the proper execution of many of the life-changing documents of private citizens — whether those transactions convey real estate, grant powers of attorney, establish a prenuptial agreement, or perform the multitude of other activities that enable our civil society to function.