2013 California Rules of Court
Rule 8.77. Requirements for signatures on documents
(a) Documents signed under penalty of perjury
If a document to be filed must be signed under penalty of perjury, the document may be filed electronically provided that the original, signed verification page or pages are filed with the court within 5 calendar days.
(b) Documents not signed under penalty of perjury
If a document does not require a signature under penalty of perjury, the document is deemed signed by the party if the document is filed electronically.
(c) Documents requiring signatures of opposing parties
When a document to be filed electronically, such as a stipulation, requires the signatures of opposing parties, the following procedure applies:
(1)
The party filing the document must obtain the signatures of all parties on a printed form of the document. By electronically filing the document, the electronic filer indicates that all parties have signed the document and that the filer has the signed original in his or her possession.
(2)The party filing the document must maintain the original, signed document and must make it available for inspection and copying at the request of the court or any other party.
(3)At any time after the document is filed, any other party may serve a demand for production of the original signed document. The demand must be served on all other parties but need not be filed with the court.
(4)Within five days of service of the demand under (3), the party on whom the demand is made must make the original signed document available for inspection and copying by all other parties.
(5)At any time after the document is filed, the court may order the filing party to produce the original signed document in court for inspection and copying by the court. The order must specify the date, time, and place for the production and must be served on all parties.
(d) Digital signature
A party is not required to use a digital signature on an electronically filed document.
(e) Judicial signatures
If a document requires a signature by a court or a judicial officer, the document may be electronically signed in any manner permitted by law.
Rule 8.77 adopted effective July 1, 2010.