From antiquity through the middle ages, the authenticity of a
document's signature was confirmed by using a signet ring
pressed into a wax seal. The signet was unique to the signer, so
the presence of the stamp on a document provided assurance that the
document had not been forged. While wax seals continue to carry
romantic appeal today, they are hardly suitable for the speed and
geographic reach of modern commerce. Fortunately, the process of
creating a verifiable signature has evolved significantly in the
last 1,000 years or so, and one can think of the digital audit
trail provided by electronic signature services as the modern-day
signet stamp.
The primary purpose of a signature on an agreement is to bind
the signatory to the obligations set forth in the agreement if a
dispute arises over that party's performance. Therefore, the
ability to authenticate a signature as that of the signer in court
is necessary in a contract dispute where a party disputes that he
is
