Rule 7 - Electronic Signatures and Document Authenticity(a)Judge, Magistrate, Clerk, or Court Reporter Signatures. Any order or other court-issued document filed electronically and entered by a judge, magistrate or court clerk per the order of a judge or magistrate may reflect the judge, magistrate or clerk's signature as: /s/ NAME. A certified copy of an order or other court-issued document bearing the electronic signature of a judge, magistrate or duly authorized clerk shall have the same force and effect as if the document contained the handwritten signature of the judge, magistrate or clerk. A court reporter's signature may be reflected as: /s/ NAME on any document or transcript submitted by a court reporter.(b)Attorney Signature. The username and password required to submit documents to the EFS shall serve as that user's signature. The electronically filed document shall bear a facsimile or typographical signature along with the typed name, address, e-mail address, telephone number and attorney registration number of the signing attorney. Typographical signatures of an attorney shall be treated as a personal signature and shall be in the form: /s/ NAME.(c)Self-represented Litigants and Other Registered Users. The user- name and password required to submit documents to the EFS shall serve as that user's signature. The electronically filed document shall bear a facsimile or typographical signature along with the typed name, address, e-mail address, and telephone number of the signing self-represented litigant. Typographical signatures of a self-represented litigant shall be treated as a personal signature and shall be in the form: /s/ NAME(d)Penalty of Perjury, Acknowledgment, Notarization, and Attestation. Penalty of Perjury, Acknowledgment, Notarization, and Attestation: A document electronically filed or served using the EFS that is required by law to include a signature signed under penalty of perjury or to be notarized or attested may be submitted electronically provided that the declarant, notary public or witness has signed the hard copy paper form of the document. The hard copy paper form of the document bearing the original signatures must be scanned and electronically submitted for filing in a format that accurately reproduces the original signatures and contents of the document. By electronically filing the document, the attorney or self-represented litigant attests that the documents and signature are authentic.(e)Documents Requiring Signature of Opposing Parties. When a document to be filed electronically requires the signatures of opposing parties, the party filing the document must first obtain the signatures of all parties on the hard copy paper form of the document. The hard copy paper form of the document bearing the original signatures must be scanned and electronically submitted for filing in a format that accurately reproduces the original signatures and contents of the document. By electronically filing the document, the attorney or self-represented litigant attests that the documents and signatures are authentic.(f)Certification; Retention of Original Version. By electronically filing or submitting a document using the EFS or presenting a filing at a clerk's office that is scanned into the CMS, the electronic filer, attorney, or self-represented litigant is certifying compliance with the signature requirements of these rules, and the signatures on the document shall have the same legal effect as the signatures on the original document. An electronic filer, attorney, or self-represented litigant must retain the original version of a document, attachment or exhibit that was filed electronically or scanned into the CMS by the court for a period of seven (7) years following disposition of the matter during which time the electronic filer, attorney or self-represented litigant shall make the original paper document available for inspection by other parties, the court, or disciplinary counsel upon reasonable notice. The retention period applies only to documents submitted through the EFS and documents scanned at the clerk's office. This rule does not affect other federal or state retention statutes or regulations which may apply to the documents.Revised 1/29/2016; Revised 9/1/2023.