Rule 2.515. Signature and Representations to Court

(a) Signature Required. Every document filed or served must be signed by the attorney, unrepresented party, or other person authorized by law to file or serve the document as provided in this rule. If a document is not signed or is signed with intent to defeat the purpose of this rule, it may be stricken by the court and the action may proceed as though the document had not been filed or served.

(b) Acts Constituting Signature.

(1) Electronically Filed Documents.

(A) Except as provided in subdivision (b)(1)(B) below, the act of filing a document constitutes the filer's signature. The signature of each person who is not the filer must be identified as a signer within the document in one of the following ways:

(i) by an electronic signature indicator in the signature block;

(ii) by an electronic signature permitted by law and in accordance with the Florida Courts Technology Standards; or

(iii) when an attorney is filing a document on behalf of an unrepresented party, by the: a. placement of an electronic signature indicator above the printed name of the unrepresented party on whose behalf the filing is being made and who has requested that the attorney affix the unrepresented party's electronic signature indicator and file the document; or b. signature of the unrepresented party in any form recognized by law on the paper document and the inclusion of that document as part of an electronically filed document or with a notice of filing containing the style of the case, the name of the document, and certificate of service. The electronic signature indicator may be an "/s/" in front of the signer's printed name or may be in any other form that meets with the Florida Courts Technology Standards.

(B) Notwithstanding (A) above, when an attorney files a document on behalf of an unrepresented party as permitted in subdivision (b)(1)(A)(iii) and when the filing attorney's signature is omitted from the document, the act of filing that document does not constitute the filer's signature.

(2) Paper Documents. A person submitting a paper document for filing under rule 2.525(c) must sign the document before submitting it, using any form of signature recognized by law. The person submitting the document becomes its filer for purposes of this rule.

(3) Served Documents. For documents served, but not contemporaneously filed, the act of serving constitutes the server's signature and the signature of each person identified as a signer.

(c) Signature Block. A document signed under this rule must include a signature block containing the filer and each signer's name, electronic signature indicator, mailing address, telephone number, and e-mail address for service of court documents (if the document is filed or served electronically). If the signer is an attorney, the signature block must also include the signer's Florida Bar number and the party the signer represents. If a signer is represented by an attorney who is also a signer, then only the attorney's information is required.

(d) Representation to Court.

(1) Representation by Filer. By filing a document under rule 2.525, the filer represents that:

(A) the filer has complied with all rules of procedure regarding filing and service of the document;

(B) every person identified as a signer has authorized that person's signature and the filer accepts responsibility for proving that authority if it is later disputed; and

(C) the document contains no confidential or sensitive information, or that any confidential or sensitive information has been properly protected by complying with rules 2.420 and 2.425.

(2) Representation by Signer. On filing, each signer represents that:

(A) the signer has read the document;

(B) to the best of the signer's knowledge, information, and belief, there are good grounds to support the document; and

(C) the document is not interposed for delay.

(3) Representation by Person Serving. A person serving a document under rule 2.516 makes the same representations contained in subdivisions (d)(1) and (d)(2).