Ohio Notary Practice Exam

A notary public is not authorized to determine the validity of documents such as a power of attorney. Their role is primarily to witness signatures, administer oaths, and verify the identity of the signers, not to assess the legal validity or enforceability of the documents they notarize. The validity of a power of attorney involves legal considerations and potential disputes that require the expertise of legal professionals, rather than the function of a notary.

In contrast, verifying authenticity pertains to ensuring that a document has been signed willingly and that the signers are who they claim to be. However, this does not equate to determining whether the document itself is legally valid or effective, which is not within a notary's scope of duties. This reasoning underlines why a notary cannot determine the validity of a power of attorney and confirms the correctness of the assertion that it is outside their authority.