Who is responsible for assessing the reasonableness of a notary's refusal to notarize?

• A. The notary's employer
• B. The Secretary of the State
• C. The signer's attorney
• D. A court clerk

Answer: (B)

The reason this is correct is that notaries operate under state regulatory authority, and the Secretary of the State is the official who oversees notarial practice, issues rules, and investigates complaints or disputes about notarial acts. When a notary refuses to notarize, that decision is evaluated against the statutes and regulations the Secretary enforces to determine whether it was justified and proper. The employer, the signer’s attorney, or a court clerk don’t have the authority to assess the reasonableness of a notary’s refusal; their roles don’t include regulating notarial conduct.