What is the primary purpose of notarization?

• A. To speed up civil litigation.
• B. To ensure that signatures are witnessed for general purposes.
• C. To deter fraud, prove authenticity of a signature, and ensure the signer acted willingly.
• D. To verify the signer's age.

Answer: (C)

Notarization aims to deter fraud by providing an official check that the signature is authentic, the signer is who they claim to be, and that the signer acted willingly and without coercion. The notary verifies the signer’s identity, confirms the signer appears before the notary, and ensures they sign of their own free will, then attaches the notary’s seal and records the act. This creates a trusted record for third parties that the signature is genuine and the signer meant to sign. It does not certify the document’s content, guarantee the signer’s age, nor is its primary purpose to speed up litigation or serve as a general witness in every situation.