Which of the following is NOT a duty of a Notary Public in California?

The correct answer is that preparing legal contracts is not a duty of a Notary Public in California. Notaries are primarily responsible for verifying the identity of individuals signing documents and ensuring that those individuals are signing voluntarily and with an understanding of the document they are signing.

Administering oaths, witnessing signatures, and performing acknowledgments are all key responsibilities of a Notary Public. When administering oaths, the notary ensures that the person understands the solemnity of their statements and is swearing to tell the truth. Witnessing signatures involves the notary observing the signer's act of signing a document to verify authenticity and integrity. Performing acknowledgments is a process where the notary confirms that the signer has personally appeared, is aware of the document's significance, and has signed it voluntarily.

In contrast, preparing legal contracts involves drafting or creating documents, which falls outside the scope of a notary's functions. California Notaries are prohibited from providing such services as it can lead to conflicts of interest and unauthorized practice of law. Thus, the role of a notary is mainly focused on authentication rather than preparation of legal documents.