Notary Public 

A Notary Public is an official who is appointed by the state to serve as a witness to the signing of important documents.  It is a notary's duty to screen the signers of important documents such as property deeds, wills and powers of attorney for their true identity.  A notary also must assess a person's willingness to sign without duress or intimidation and their awareness of the contents of the documents.  Notaries are not allowed to act in situations where they have a personal interest.