Conventionally, court reporters use a computerized stenography machine to transcribe court proceedings or depositions and generate text files. For example, using computer aided transcription (“CAT”) software, the court reporter can generate an ASCII text file. The court reporter, or the reporter's respective agency, would manipulate the ASCII file to produce a final transcript, conventionally using a word processor to edit the ASCII transcript file. The court reporter can then send the ASCII transcript file as an e-mail attachment to an attorney, client, etc. While the present invention and background is generally described with reference to ASCII transcript files, the court reporter may generate the text of the transcript in other forms such as, for example, real time streaming data.
Conventional transmission of a transcript file has limitations. For example, it is possible to alter the contents of the ASCII transcript file after the court reporter has sent the file over a network, such as the Internet, unbeknownst to the sender or recipient. Hence the integrity of the contents of the transcript may be jeopardized. Also, the conventional ASCII transcript file lacks a court reporter's signature. Accordingly, if a receiving party of the ASCII transcript file wants to obtain a certified copy of the transcript, the recipient must request a physical (i.e., “paper”), certified copy of the transcript having the court reporter's physical signature present therein.
Accordingly, as recognized by the present inventors, what is needed is a method for electronically signing and certifying an electronic document, such as an electronic transcript, by a signing entity, such as a court reporter, wherein the integrity of the electronic document is maintained and the electronic signature/certification is both authentic and valid. Further, what is needed is a system to view the electronic document by the recipient, as well as a method for the recipient to verify the authenticity and integrity of the electronic document.
It is against this background that various embodiments of the present invention were developed.