What might categorize a notary's actions as negligent?

A notary's actions can be categorized as negligent when they fail to follow the established procedures required to ensure the integrity and authenticity of notarized documents. Notarizing documents without verifying the identity of the signers is a significant oversight. This verification is a critical part of the notary's responsibilities, as it helps prevent fraud and ensures that the individual signing the document is indeed who they claim to be.

Negligence in this context refers to the notary's failure to uphold the duty of care expected in their role. Proper identity verification, often through government-issued identification, ensures accuracy and security in notarization. This process protects not only the parties involved but also maintains public trust in the notarial act.

The other options do not reflect the negligence in the same critical manner. For instance, while failing to have a notary seal is certainly problematic, it is a procedural lapse rather than a failure in verifying the identity of the signers. Similarly, inability to recall signed documents might indicate disorganization but does not necessarily equate to negligence in the execution of notarization duties. Co-signing a document falls outside the scope of a notary's responsibilities and does not pertain to the negligence of the notarial act itself.