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David Casebere CFO Business Advisor

Is an original signed legal document that is scanned and saved in the cloud as binding in court as the original paper copy?

Asked on Sept. 1, 2015

I am interested in getting rid of paper. Can I rely on scanned legal documents to hold up in court? I have 2 clients with this question, a CPA firm and an insurance company.

Answers

Peter Lyons, MBA, CMA Finance and Technology Enthusiast • November 1, 2010

Good afternoon David,

The answer to your question in short is "no". It depends on the natue of the instrument, industry, and regulating authority.

I would consult your outside counsel for specifics on whether or not the instruments your clients are dealing with can be digitized or if they need to retain the original document.

Regards,
Pete

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