Re: [PLUG] Signing contracts digitally?

[bergman@merctech.com]

In the message dated: Fri, 21 Feb 2014 12:35:30 -0500,
The pithy ruminations from brent timothy saner on 
<[PLUG] Signing contracts digitally?> were:
=> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
=> Hash: SHA1
=> 
=> So informally, we know that digital signatures *can* be accepted in
=> UK/Europe court of law, generally speaking. If my reading is correct.[0]
=> 
=> However, what is the status of this in the US? Are digital signatures
=> (e.g. done via PGP/openPGP[GnuPG/GPG]) considered valid and legally
=> binding?

Interestingly, I just 'signed' some financial papers electronically.

The bank used Docusign:

	https://www.docusign.net

Their statement on the legality of the signature is here:

	http://www.docusign.com/how-it-works/legality
=> 
=> If I were to write up in presence of a notary a document that stated
=> "I, _________, can attest that the below digital public key
=> fingerprint and public key are bound to a private key that only I
=> control, and take responsibility for the actions performed using said
=> matching private key.
=> 
=> (print name)
=> (signature)"
=> 
=> and then have it notarized, would that keypair then be able to be used
=> as a legally binding signature?

IANAL, but my guess is that the "be able to be used" part of your question
has a different answer than the "legally binding" part. My guess is that
your notarized document may be 'binding', but that virtually no one, other
than us geeks, would be willing to use or accept that form of signature.

You're just ahead of the curve....imagine trying to pay for your groceries
with Bitcoins in 2010.

Mark

=> 
=> [0] http://www.fipr.org/publications/newsig.html
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-- 
Mark Bergman    Biker, Rock Climber, Unix mechanic, IATSE #1 Stagehand
'94 Yamaha GTS1000A^2
bergman@panix.com

http://wwwkeys.pgp.net:11371/pks/lookup?op=get&search=bergman%40panix.com

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