Electronic verification of attendance in the judicial system

The Baden-Württemberg judiciary is relying on signotec signature pads to digitise its procedures: 663 signotec Sigma devices are in use at over 20 judicial locations – ranging from regional courts and specialised courts to the Justice ICT Centre. The pads are used in particular for the newly established legal option of electronic attendance certification.

With the Act on the Introduction of Electronic In-Person Certification, which came into force on 29 December 2025, the legislature has laid the groundwork for conducting in-person certification procedures entirely electronically. In certain cases, parties may, instead of signing a paper document, record their approval of a transcript by signing in their own hand on a device suitable for the electronic capture of signatures – such as a signature pad.

The judiciary in Baden-Württemberg prepared for this change at an early stage: even before the Act came into force, the state’s courts were equipped with the necessary hardware across the board, so that the new option could be utilised from the outset.

A total of 663 signature pads were to be delivered to the state’s judicial authorities – including all 17 regional courts from Baden-Baden to Waldshut-Tiengen, as well as the Stuttgart Regional Labour Court, the Stuttgart Finance Court, the Stuttgart Regional Social Court, the Mannheim Administrative Court and the Justice ICT Centre. The delivery was made directly to the individual locations and was carried out by signotec from stock within a very short time.

A key feature of the project was that no separate software solution was required. The judiciary’s specialist software was already equipped to integrate with signature hardware and connects the signature pads via the signotec signoPAD API. The API enables the direct integration of the pads into existing applications – a common approach when organisations wish to extend their own software to include the capture of handwritten signatures.

The signotec Sigma was chosen. This compact device accurately captures signatures, including biometric features, via a pen-based sensor and is designed for continuous use in public-facing environments. In conjunction with the signoPAD API, the captured signatures can be transferred directly into the electronic record and displayed there as images – exactly as required by law.

• Legally compliant digital solution: a paperless process with no media discontinuity: records are created, signed and processed electronically.
• Simple for everyone involved: The signature is provided by hand as usual – for those involved, the familiar process remains virtually unchanged.
• Seamless integration: The pads were integrated into the existing specialist application via the signoPAD API without the need for any additional software solution.
• Rapid roll-out: 663 devices, over 20 locations, dispatched from stock and delivered within a few days.

The project demonstrates how public authorities can implement statutory digitalisation initiatives quickly and pragmatically: using tried-and-tested hardware, open interfaces and a partner capable of supplying even large quantities at short notice. With electronic in-person certification, the Baden-Württemberg judiciary is taking an important step towards fully digital procedures – whilst doing away with printouts, scans and manual intermediate steps.

The judiciary of Baden-Württemberg employs around 20,000 people across 196 locations. It comprises the ordinary courts – comprising 17 regional courts and 17 public prosecutor’s offices – as well as the specialist courts dealing with labour, tax, social and administrative matters, and the prison service. The Ministry of Justice and Migration of Baden-Württemberg in Stuttgart is responsible for this area.

You can find out which legal provisions apply and how electronic attendance verification works in practice in our specialist article.