The Clueless Client

I was contacted by a potential notary client who told me that she was clueless on the contents of a probate document that a lawyer sent her to be notarized. Notaries, who are not lawyers, can not advise clients on the contents of documents. A major responsibility of the notary is to make sure the client understands what they are signing. In this case, I referred her to a Arlington County VA lawyer who opened a probate case for the client. The client had discovered that the document sent to her was not in her best interest. Do not be afraid to tell your notary that you are clueless on the contents of the document. This will give the non-lawyer a chance to refer you to lawyer. Paralegals in VA can not advise you on the content of a document or the legality of a document. Notarization of a document does not mean that the notary guarantees the legality of the document. However, notarization of a document that you are clueless about may cause problems for you.