What is the notarial act for compelling the signer to tell the truth?

• A. Signature Witnessing or Attesting
• B. Oaths or Affirmations
• C. Copy Certification
• D. Protest

Answer: (B)

Administering oaths or affirmations is the notarial act that compels the signer to tell the truth. When a notary administers an oath or affirmation, the signer promises under penalty of perjury to tell the truth, and the notary witnesses this promise and the signing of the document. This creates a sworn statement, often seen as a jurat in the document, where the truthfulness of the contents is affirmed under oath. The notary’s role is to verify the signer’s identity, ensure they understand the oath, and record that the oath or affirmation was given.

Other acts have different purposes: witnessing or attesting simply confirms the signer’s identity and that they signed the document; copy certification confirms that a copy is a true reproduction of the original; a protest relates to nonpayment of a negotiable instrument and does not involve swearing to truth.