How legal are signed e-mail documents?

Asked by rojo (24179

) May 12th, 2014

It is common for us to get apartment applications, lease extensions, etc. via e-mail. They are signed and dated and we always request the original be mailed to us but with the e-mail do we have a legal document in hand?
I realize that it could be taken to court and fought out but I wondered if anyone knew the legal standings of such document or had heard of a court case about e-mail signatures?

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4 Answers

As with a signature on any paper document it’s considered acknowledgement that you understand and accept the terms and conditions of the document you’re signing. E-signatures obviously have the same legal standing or else they wouldn’t be used.

Darth_Algar (18933

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Completely. I did a whole real estate sale and closing by e-mail.

janbb (62898

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But doesn’t that open up an avenue for fraud? When we did our taxes through H&R block, he had us sign the back electronic box one time, then he transferred our signatures to every place where one was needed.

Dutchess_III (46849

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They are being allowed in court as evidence. I don’t like it myself, but that’s the plastic fake nothing authentic world we now live in. Digital signals are taking place of many things that people like me still demand the tangible version.

MollyMcGuire (7740

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