Authentificating a document
To authentificate a document, what does that mean?
It means giving a legal value that cannot be disputed, for instance in court.
Authentication can deal with the presence of a signature and/or date. The point of electronic authentication is:
to give equal legal value to two signatures – handwritten or electronic;
to ensure that the person that ‘signs’ the document is who he or she pretends to be (see protection against identity theft) and, if applicable, that he or she accepts the content of the document; or
to give a legally valid date to a document.
Can I authenticate an electronic form?
Yes, you can do so by using an online certification system provided for by legally approved instances (PDF, 24.51 Kb).
There is a legal framework to follow.
What is the point in authenticating an electronic document?
Within the framework of an online dispute, the authentication of some documents may be possible (but not mandatory).
For instance:
the protocol that a mediator submits to the parties so that they officially give him the mission to help them find a solution to their problem. The mediator can demand that this document be signed especially if he is an approved mediator;
the mediation agreement reached that would feature the content of the solution accepted by both parties. The parties could wish that this document be signed by them and by the mediator;
some letters, such as a registered letter sent by one party to the other: a date and signature could be requested;
the guaranteed possibility to date documents that one or both parties or the mediator consider important.
