Anyway, the pen is more powerful than the sword. (Ask anyone who regrets signing their timeshare agreement.) So what color of ink is officially legal? All colors work. Signing your name on a document or check seems like a fairly simple process. The same applies to the confirmation of a cheque for a spouse or child who is out of town. But in fact, all of these actions can have unpleasant legal implications, depending on how you do them. There is no specific rule or legal requirement for government officials to use only red, black or green ink. Or not so much obliged to fill out blue ink for these forms. So why do we have to use only blue ink? Why can`t we use red ink? The color of the ink you use isn`t the only potential legal pitfall signatures can bring. Let`s say your spouse is out of town and you want to deposit an expense check or discount for your partner. You could be in legal trouble. Many believe that the workaround for fraud is simply to sign “For deposit only” on the back of the cheque. But Gallagher says this tactic is far from foolproof.

If your spouse gets angry, he could always insist on the legal issue and claim that you stole the money. For these reasons, it is best to sign legal documents in blue or black ink, not red ink. The meaning of writing has existed for centuries: the first forms of written expression date back to 3500 BC. J.-C. Over the centuries, writing has become in many ways more restrictive than oral communication. Whether it`s an X or a meticulously written entire name, a few strokes of pencil can become an unbreakable promise. Ask your spouse and adult child to sign their own cheques – never in red ink – and get authorization if you need to bank on their behalf. Stock up on blue ink pens and save fancy ink colors for birthday cards. They will avoid legal trouble. Even if you`re legally married and have a joint bank account, it`s illegal to confirm your spouse`s name on the back of a check, says Charles R.

Gallagher III, an attorney at Gallagher & Associates in St. Petersburg, Florida. Technically, signing someone else`s name is cheating. And that could result in the cheque being denied for payment and even your arrest if your spouse were to lay charges. Question: What color of ink (black or blue) is needed to sign legal documents? Is there a legal authority to support this reluctance? It doesn`t seem illegal, but it`s still reckless. Red ink may fade more quickly, and some colorblind people may have difficulty reading red ink. (See here.) I have a parent who signs autographs in blue ink because it lasts longer. Once your child is over 18, the verification rules are the same as for your spouse. Unless you have a power of attorney or written power of attorney, signing your child`s name on the back of a cheque can be considered fraud and may result in legal action by the bank or your child. Wayne Thomas received his J.D. from Penn State University and has been practicing law since 2008. He has experience writing on environmental issues, music and health, and legal issues.

Since 2011, Thomas has also been editor-in-chief of the Vermont Environmental Monitor. Even if you deposit the money into your child`s personal bank account, it is illegal to sign your name or your child`s name on the back of the check that grandma sends to a minor for a holiday or birthday gift. “You sign a legal contract with the credit card provider that only allows you to use the credit card. You break that contract if you give another permission to use your card,” says attorney Stephen Lesavich, Ph.D., author of “The Plastic Effect: How Urban Legends Influence the Use and Misuse of Credit Cards.” In a more romantic sense, what can make you feel more dignified and complete than creating something permanent with a tool that feels worthy of action? An elegant stainless steel pin that sits comfortably in the palm of your hand makes the magnitude of the situation all the more important. Modern Fuel`s luxury writing instruments come with luxurious black ink, which makes any legal document even more important. Documents filed with a court, including applications, complaints and other applications, must comply with the formatting guidelines of the court`s local rules of procedure. These rules can be strict and vary greatly from court to court. In some jurisdictions, the rules do not specify what color of ink should be used on legal documents. However, other jurisdictions, such as the Ross County Court in Ohio, require that blue ink be used when signing documents.

This rule is intended to ensure that the judge is able to distinguish between the original document and the copies. Failure to sign the document in blue ink in jurisdictions that require it may result in a court order to resubmit the documents, and you may also be reprimanded by the judge. It is always recommended to research local rules of procedure or consult a lawyer before submitting documents to the court. As soon as someone puts his name on paper, he wants the words above his signature to become an indisputable law. For this reason, legal documents have strict rules designed to avoid loopholes, subsequent negotiations, and future litigation. In most cases, for example, legal documents must be signed with a pen. The use of other writing tools is rare: you don`t want to sign a legally binding document in pencil – although a signature with a pencil is still legally binding, despite what you might have suspected. You could sign with a pencil, and the document would still be legitimate. However, most people know that it is not recommended because common sense dictates the use of permanent ink.

Pencil marks can be removed and the validity of the document questioned. (a) In general, notwithstanding any law, regulation or other rule of law (other than this Subchapter and Subchapter II), with respect to transactions in interstate or foreign commerce or affecting interstate or foreign commerce. (1) a signature, contract or other document relating to such a transaction, legal validity, validity or enforceability shall not be limited solely to those that are denied because they are in electronic form; and (2) the legal validity, validity or enforceability of a contract relating to such a transaction cannot be refused solely on the ground that an electronic signature or electronic record was used in its formation. Your credit card company may never know that you gave your credit card to your spouse, best friend or child. This allows the cargo to navigate the system without any problems. However, there is no specific mention of signature color in the UCC. No one could explain exactly why in my conversations, but there seems to be a belief that red ink is forbidden or that a signature in red ink is not binding. If you like the content, please “like”, share and subscribe to our sponsor Dojoit. The safest approach is to obtain written authorization stating that it is acceptable to sign a spouse`s name on cheques if they cannot.

“You can always get an official power of attorney to make sure the bank isn`t causing you problems,” Gallagher says. I guess some shades of red can`t photocopy well. In the days leading up to color copying, red didn`t photograph well either. Because they would appear weak or absent on a photocopy, red pens were considered taboo for signing or confirming checks, Wong says. However, avoid colors other than black or blue, as lighter ink colors may be washed out when copying. Some government agencies require black ink, while others require blue ink. Some reasons are: black ink, which is compatible with older scanning technology. or. Blue ink is more different from black text. Be sure to follow the instructions on government, commercial, or financial forms for the required ink color. Without specific instructions, the choice is yours. “We encourage signatories to our documents to use blue ink because it contrasts with our applications, which is especially beneficial if identification issues arise in the future,” says Angleton.