Electronic Signature Cases - German Law

Under German civil law, there are relatively few rules requiring a signature in order for a certain legal consequence to take effect, e.g. for an agreement to be valid and enforceable. In business practice, however, signatures are viewed as an established method of reliably confirming, controlling and proving business transactions. While in many business transactions a signature may not be required by law, a signature certainly has evidentiary value and is viewed as a prudent practice.

This whitepaper looks at: 

• Support for electronic signatures in Germany: Overview of applicable case law

• Electronic transaction and signature court cases

• Comparison: Informal electronic signature versus a signing platform