[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: Dame Maggie Smith in Wheelchair - why?

[Shaun Hately]

On 15 Sep 2006 at 10:40, Jordan Abel wrote:

> Shaun:
> > He can sign his name as 'Edward' and nothing else, and it is his
> > legal signature
> 
> I thought that in most common law jurisdictions (including, among
> others, 49 of the 50 United States, EnglandAndWales, and Canada [but
> not Quebec]) any mark made with one's own hand (if intended as a
> signature of course) was a legal signature? That is, I could sign as
> "Edward" and it would be a legal signature for me despite it not even
> being my name. There are practical matters regarding authentication of
> course, but my handwriting is reasonably distinct and if I were to
> make a habit of signing in that way that would not be an issue, and in
> that case I don't believe there's any law saying that's not a legal
> signature.

Different definitions of legal signatures.

For most purposes, a unique identifying mark will serve the purpose of a signature - if all that 
is required that a particular individual gave consent to something or agreed to a contract.

But that still strictly speaking isn't a legal signature in the true sense of the word.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia