Posted by Gerry_VT on 7/12/07 8:36am
Msg #199544

Hypothetical: digital certified copies

Since the future of electronic signings has been discussed recently, I thought I'd ask a question that I've been wondering about for a while. For those states that allow notaries to make certified copies, do you think it would be legal to make a digital certified copy of a paper document? How about a paper certified copy of a digital document? It could be a fast way to get a somewhat official copy of a document from one side of the country to the other quickly.

Reply by PAW on 7/12/07 8:44am
Msg #199548

Good question!

This will take some investigation and questioning of the "authorities".

Reply by Marlene/USNA on 7/12/07 1:06pm
Msg #199580

Not an authority, but. . .

. . .we do it in PA. Someone had a PDF and needed a certified copy of it (this is pre-electronic signature/notarization/etc.). The PDF was delivered to the notary, who printed it and certified the paper copy. The notary was able to compare the printed copy with the original on-screen PDF and make sure they were one and the same (overkill, perhaps, but it was at the direction of the SOS office at the time).

Probably could work in reverse. Scan a paper document and apply electronic signature/seal to certified copy notary wording. Never seen it done, tho.

As for making a digital certified copy of a digital file. . .hmmmm. . .where *are* those authorities, anyway?!

Reply by SharonMN on 7/12/07 11:25pm
Msg #199678

Although I've never done this, I understand that it is possible for a someone to copy a document by hand and have a notary certify the copy, even though the original is typed (or vice versa). I can see where that would have been a convenient way to get a copy of something before copy machines were common/invented. Probably in jurisdictions where that is allowed, a digital copy would not be a problem.