electronic signature validity

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

the legal enforceability and evidentiary weight of electronic signatures — digital representations of a person's intent to agree to a document — under applicable national and international law; most major legal systems now recognise electronic signatures as legally valid for most types of contracts, though the specific requirements for validity vary considerably; the EU eIDAS Regulation distinguishes between simple electronic signatures, advanced electronic signatures, and qualified electronic signatures with increasing levels of security and legal presumption of validity; in the United States, the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act gives electronic signatures the same legal weight as handwritten signatures for most transactions; certain legal documents including wills, family law instruments, and some real property transfers remain subject to requirements for wet ink signatures in many jurisdictions