Can an Email Serve as Legal Notice?

In the digital age, it is becoming more common for businesses and individuals to communicate via email. This can be a convenient way to exchange information, but legal implications may arise if an email is mistaken as a binding contract or as legal notice. The following are examples of when an email may not serve its intended purpose and, therefore, should not be used in that capacity. In general: An email cannot serve as a legally-binding contract, nor can it act as a substitute for legal notice in most circumstances. If you are sending an email with one of these objectives, you will need to find another way to communicate. It is important to understand why this is the case and what unique risks exist when communicating through email.

Contract Negotiation

Practically every business has to negotiate contracts with vendors, suppliers, and customers. An email may be sent in the process of negotiation, and it may seem quite harmless. What may not be apparent is that an email does not have the same legal status as a signed contract. If an email is sent as a binding contract, it will likely be rejected and will have no legal force whatsoever. When negotiating a contract, both parties must understand that a signature on an email is not legally binding. A signature can only be binding if it is signed on paper and delivered. There are, however, some ways in which an email can be used to bind the parties to a contract. If the parties are in different states, the signed document is sent to both parties, and the parties acknowledge and sign the document, then the document can be considered binding. In addition, the parties can sign the document electronically and the signature can be legally binding.

Electronic Signature

As discussed above, an email may be signed using an electronic signature. The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign) allows for a contract to be signed electronically if certain rules and regulations are met. Specifically, the parties must consent to the form of signature, the signature must be in a certain format, and an original document must be retained by one of the parties. It is also important to note that the document must be in written form and not contained in an email. E-signatures are typically used for commercial contracts and not for personal agreements. The requirements for an e-signature are not the same for each state; instead, each state determines its own rules and regulations.

Legal Notice

Legal notice is the means by which a party gives another party information that is necessary for the other party to know but that may not be contained within a formal legal document. Legal notice may also be used to alert a party as to what their rights and/or obligations are. In the past, this was done by publishing a notice in a newspaper or having it published in a journal. This type of publishing had its flaws. For example, if a newspaper wanted to publish the notice but had a backlog of stories, it might publish the notice much later than it was intended. As technology evolved and communication transitioned from print to digital, the publishing standard for legal notice changed. Specifically, a formal notice must be published in a certain way on the internet in order to have sufficient notice. For example, if a party wants to make a public announcement about a lawsuit, it must do so on a website that is accessible to the public and that has sufficient domain authority.

Conclusion

An email may not serve as a legally binding contract. Additionally, an email cannot legally act as legal notice. It is important to understand why this is the case and what unique risks exist when communicating through email. If you are sending an email with one of these objectives, you will need to find another way to communicate. It is helpful to understand what unique risks exist when communicating through email. If you are sending an email with one of these objectives, you will need to find another way to communicate.