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One of the major controversies in the process serving industry today is the use of electronic signatures on proofs any kind. Follow this link to see a document I recently received from an important client.
Scanned Signature Consent Redacted.pdf
The client wants to move to a "paperless" system. The advantages, to the client, of such a system are fairly obvious. They include:
1. Fast notification of completed assignments.
2. No inconvenient "paper" with which to deal.
3. Simplified storage.
4. Reduced labor costs
5. etc.
My visceral response was to cry "NO" at the top of my lungs! However, I've finally (after far too many years) learned it is better to act from knowledge instead of instinct. Paperless systems may have certain advantages but they also have serious disadvantage, especially for process servers.
The last NAPPS convention I attended was in Portland, so it has been a few years. I recall a great deal of discussion at that meeting concerning the use of imaged signatures. My recollection is that 90% or more of the comments were against their use. At that time, and to this day, I see the so called paperless systems as the antithesis of the procedure all process servers should be using, i.e., original signatures.
Most or all of you have probably heard about the recent reports of sewer service in New York (the perpetrator was not a NAPPS member). In my opinion, scanned signatures are begging to be misused. Technology can help us do great good in very little time but it can also allow someone do great harm in very little time.
All of that said, perhaps things have changed in ways I am not aware. Perhaps the use of scanned signatures is becoming the industry standard. So I've been doing a little research on the topic and will use the next several posts to lay out the results of that research.
Robin Mullins May 1st, 2009 05:51:13 PM