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General Order 20-15 Temporarily Suspending Original Signature Requirements

Monday, March 30, 2020

NOTICE FROM THE UNITED STATES BANKRUPTCY COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF OKLAHOMA

THE COURT HAS ENTERED THE FOLLOWING GENERAL ORDER NO 20-15

TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF ORIGINAL SIGNATURE REQUIREMENTS IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19

Due to issues with the COVID-19 virus, national and state declarations of emergency issued by the President of the
United States and the Governor of Oklahoma, and the Centers for Disease Control advisory that all individuals should engage in social distancing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the Court is temporarily suspending until further notice the requirement that an attorney obtain original signatures of debtors, attorneys, affiants and declarants prior to electronically filing such documents on the condition that, prior to filing, the attorney has either:

  1. obtained the signer’s digital signature via any commercially available digital signature technology that provides signature authentication and maintains a copy of the digitally signed document(s) in the case file; or
  2. obtained the signer’s express written permission (including by electronic mail) from the signer to affix the signer’s signature to the document(s) and will maintain a hard copy thereof in the file.

 

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the filing of documents with an electronic signature constitutes a certification by the attorney under Bankruptcy Rule 9011 and all other applicable rules and procedures that the attorney has either obtained the signer’s original signature or complied with paragraphs 1 or 2 of this Order.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the suspension of the original signature requirement as outlined herein will remain in effect until further order of this Court.

Dated March 30, 2020   s/Tom R. Cornish, United States Bankruptcy Judge

A COPY OF THE ORDER IS ATTACHED
GENERAL ORDER NO 20-15