The office
Why a Notary Public matters
A notary public is a public officer of the State of Wisconsin. The job is small in duration and large in consequence: verify who is signing, confirm they are doing it freely, and create a record the world can rely on.
A witness the law trusts
A notarized signature carries weight in court, at the register of deeds, and across state lines because a neutral public officer stood there and verified it.
Fraud prevention
Requiring personal appearance and a current government photo ID stops the simplest and most common form of document fraud: someone signing as someone else.
Protection for the vulnerable
Elderly signers, people under pressure, and anyone being rushed get one more set of eyes confirming that the signature is willing and understood.
A record that survives
A careful journal entry means the details of an act can be recalled and defended years after everyone's memory has faded.
What a notary can do
- Administer oaths and affirmations, including oaths of office.
- Take acknowledgments on deeds, contracts, and powers of attorney.
- Execute jurats on affidavits and sworn statements.
- Witness or attest signatures.
- Certify that a copy is a true copy of an original (with limits).
- Note the protest of a negotiable instrument.
What a notary may never do
- Give legal advice or draft legal documents, that is the practice of law.
- Notarize when the signer is not physically present before me.
- Certify or copy vital records: birth, death, marriage, divorce, or annulment.
- Notarize a document in which I have a personal or beneficial interest.
- Perform any notarial act while physically outside Wisconsin.
- Decide whether a document is true, fair, or a good idea, only that it was signed properly.
The Acts I Can Perform
My most frequent act is the Oath of Office administered in connection with forensic interviews, sworn, witnessed, and recorded with the care that child-sensitive work demands.
| Act | When it is used | Signature witnessed? |
|---|---|---|
| Oath of Office | Swearing a person into a duty or office, including forensic interview personnel. | Yes, administer the oath aloud and witness the signature. |
| Jurat | Affidavits and sworn statements: the signer swears the contents are true. | Yes, signature must be made in your presence. |
| Acknowledgment | Deeds, contracts, powers of attorney: the signer confirms a voluntary signature. | No, but the signer must appear and acknowledge the signature. |
| Signature witnessing | Unsworn statements where you simply witness the signing. | Yes, you must watch the party sign. |
| Copy certification | Attesting that a copy is a true copy of an original document. | Never for vital records, strictly prohibited. |
| Protest | Noting protest of a negotiable instrument. | Follow the instrument's statutory requirements. |