What is the primary duty of a Connecticut notary public?

• A. To offer legal advice
• B. To prepare legal documents
• C. To serve the public and perform notarial acts within the limits of the law
• D. To draft contracts and agreements

Answer: (C)

A Connecticut notary public serves as an impartial public witness who verifies and certifies notarial acts within the bounds of the law. The main duty is to serve the public by witnessing and authenticating signatures, administering oaths or affirmations, taking acknowledgments, and performing related acts while ensuring the signer’s identity, voluntary participation, and understanding of the document. The notary must stay within legal limits and maintain neutrality, acting as a trusted intermediary rather than a legal advisor. Because giving legal advice or drafting legal documents falls to lawyers, those tasks are not the notary’s role.