It’s Christmas come early in Virginia this year. As of July 1, 2024, attorneys in Virginia can officially (and permanently!) use electronic signatures to sign pleadings in Virginia’s state courts. It only took twenty-plus...more
In 2020, North Carolina passed a temporary law authorizing Emergency Video Notarization (“EVN”) to alleviate the requirement that notaries be in the physical presence of signers during the COVID-19 pandemic. This law was set...more
The renewable energy industry is growing rapidly but it faces several challenges, including ever-increasing competition amongst developers for rights to the same land. This creates a race between developers to encumber...more
On December 30, the Department of Treasury (“Treasury”) and the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) released a notice of proposed rules relating to the use of an electronic medium for retirement plan participant elections and...more
Since the COVID-19 pandemic upended life as we knew it, the use of remote communication and collaborative technologies have become a permanent addition to everything; from schools to workplaces and everything in between....more
Many tasks that were relatively easy to accomplish became nearly impossible during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while much of everyday life has returned to “normal,” some modifications to accommodate social...more
Recently, the House of Representatives passed the SECURE Notarization Act of 2022 (H.R. 3962). The legislation that creates federal minimum standards to allow notaries in all states to perform remote online notarization...more
The IRS recently issued Notice 2022-27, providing a six-month extension of the temporary relief from the physical presence requirement for certain plan elections (including spousal consents) required to be witnessed by a plan...more
Last week, Governor Cooper signed House Bill 776 that permanently codifies remote online notarization and restores emergency video notarization. Remote Online Notarization (“RON”) will become effective on July 1, 2023, and...more
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill 7780 on Feb. 25, 2022. The new law makes significant updates to Senate Bill 1780C, the prior RON bill. ...more
On December 22, 2021, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law Senate Bill 1780C, which allows notaries to perform remote online notarization (RON). Effective as of June 20, 2022, this new law means that New York has...more
On December 22, New York Governor, Kathy Hochul, signed Senate Bill 1780C (S1780C), which allows the state’s notaries to conduct remote online notarizations (RON). The law is to be effective on June 20, 2022. Among other...more
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill 1780C on Dec. 22, 2021, which allows the state's notaries to conduct remote online notarizations (RON). The law is slated to be effective on June 20, 2022. New York joins more...more
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many states implemented temporary measures allowing public notaries to perform notarial acts virtually. Over a year and a half after the initial states of emergency were instituted, some...more
As the COVID-19 pandemic drags on, administrators of defined benefit pension plans continue to field questions about the notary requirement related to certain participant and spousal elections. For qualified retirement plans...more
Certain elections made by participants and spouses under retirement plans must be signed “in the physical presence of a plan representative or a notary public.” The IRS provided relief from this physical presence requirement...more
Since at least 2000, state and federal legislatures have grappled with creating effective, and secure, methods for document authentication while still utilizing the increasing number of technological advancements created...more
West Virginia Governor Jim Justice signed SB 469 into law, codifying provisions from a 2020 executive order suspending the mandate requiring a notary be physically present with individuals when signing documents or making...more
One of the many inconveniences imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic has been the difficulty in obtaining notarization of documents. Yesterday, Secretary of State Dr. Shirley N. Weber held a Zoom hearing to discuss whether remote...more
E-Signatures and Remote Online Notarization: The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (“UETA”) proposed by the Uniform Law Commission (“ULC”) in 1999 presented ways for states to effectuate electronic signatures with the...more
Digital technologies are paving the way for more convenient and efficient transactions. Paper documents and wet-ink signatures are being replaced by their electronic equivalents, and “in-person” appearances can now be...more
E-Signatures and Remote Online Notarization: - The Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (“UETA”) proposed by the Uniform Law Commission (“ULC”) in 1999 presented ways for states to effectuate electronic signatures with the...more
Remote Online Notarization: What You Need to Know - "Digital closing are the norm, here’s how to prepare and serve your clients." Why this is important: Remote Online Notarization, or RON, is the use of audio/visual...more