E-filing - More thoughts on scanning problems

So the post about keeping the file size down generated a lot of good comments and feedback.  Many people are surprised that lawyers are scanning entire documents just so that they can have their orignal signature appear on the document that they e-file.  I'm not; lawyers are comfortable with signatures and they like them.  I'll bet their are lawyers out there trying to figure out how to apply sealing wax to their e-filed documents.

Anyway, as we mentioned, the federal courts don't need your signature.  But, if you really must, have something that appears to be your signature on your e-filed documents consider this option:

1. scan your signature
2. create a table in Word/Wordperfect
3. place image of scanned signature in document
4. Save the signature block for re-use
5. Later, rinse, re-file

One thing that I didn't mention is that scanning the whole document isn't a bad idea just because it creates a larger file size.  It's also a bad idea because it will annoy some court personnel.  If the document is text-based then they can search inside of it.  If it's an image then they can't (unless they OCR it, which they probably can't do).  So, do yourself and the clerks at federal court a favor and stop scanning your documents to PDF.

And move away from the sealing wax.  (You know who you are).