What legal principle is central to the notarization process?

The notarization process is fundamentally based on the principles of impartiality and integrity. A notary public serves as an official witness to the signing of documents and is responsible for ensuring that the parties involved are who they claim to be and that they are signing the documents willingly, without coercion. This requires the notary to remain neutral and unbiased throughout the process, which protects the interests of all parties involved and enhances the trustworthiness of the documents being notarized.

By maintaining impartiality, the notary helps to uphold the integrity of the notarization process. This is essential because any hint of bias or conflict of interest could lead to questions about the validity of the notarized document. The notary's role is to verify identities and provide an official acknowledgment that the signing occurred, thereby ensuring that the document can be accepted as credible in legal contexts.

While providing timely service, ensuring legal representation, and facilitating document distribution are important aspects of various legal and administrative processes, they do not encapsulate the core principle that governs the notarization process itself, which revolves around impartiality and integrity.