According to Georgia statutes, what authority do notaries public have?

In Georgia, notaries public are authorized to perform specific duties, one of which includes taking acknowledgments. This means that a notary can verify the identity of individuals signing documents and ensure that they are doing so willingly and without coercion. Taking acknowledgments is a critical function because it helps to protect against fraud by confirming that the person signing the document understands its contents and is doing so voluntarily.

The authority of a notary extends to various other functions, such as administering oaths and affirmations, but taking acknowledgments is particularly important in the context of legal documents, contracts, and other formal agreements. This underscores the notary's role in ensuring the authenticity and validity of signed documents, which is crucial in both personal and business transactions.

In contrast to this role, witnessing property sales, providing legal counsel, and administering medication are not within the purview of notaries. Witnessing property sales is typically done by legal professionals or title agents, legal counsel is exclusively provided by licensed attorneys, and administering medication falls under the responsibility of healthcare providers. Each of these functions requires specific qualifications and legal authority that a notary does not possess. Thus, the correct authority of notaries public is indeed to take acknowledgments.