Informal Opinion No.

James C. Tomasi, Esq. County Attorney, Washington

You have asked whether Civil Practice Law and Rules (CPLR) § 2101 requires that all signatures on documents filed with the county clerk's office be written in black ink.

Your letter states that the Washington County clerk's office will not accept deeds and other title documents for filing, unless the signatures on the documents are in black ink. Furthermore, you note that this policy is based on the clerk's office's interpretation of subdivision a of Rule 2101 of the CPLR which sets standards for quality, size and legibility of papers served or…