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Participant
April 17, 2020
Question

I want to make changes to a document after its signed

  • April 17, 2020
  • 4 replies
  • 2985 views

I am a lawyer and a lot of times I need to attach exhibits to a signed document or I need to edit the PDF to include a comma or get another signature and with ADOBE it locks the document so that cannot happen.  Anyone know how to change this?

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4 replies

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

You can't change it. The entire point behind a digital signature is to prevent editing of the file once it was signed, or at least to prove that editing took place by invalidating the signature.

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

I don't know where you practice law but where I live in California, a signed document is a legal instrument.  To maintain the integrity of the document, you cannot make changes to it AFTER it is signed.

 

If needed, you can generate a new document and get that signed.  Mistakes are annoying for sure. Especially when you've gone to the trouble of getting signatures notarized.  But that's how it is. 

 

Docu Sign and other document signature services work the same way.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
Participant
April 17, 2020

Nancy, as a very well established lawyer, I fully understand what is or is not a legal document. You did not answer my question. Clearly you have no idea why family lawyers need to modify documents. When I have 300 pages of tax returns to attach as exhibits and Adobe will not allow me upload it for signature because its too big so I need to attach the exhibits AFTER it is signed. Or clients send exhibits last minute all the time. Or exhibit pages need to be reorgaized.   I know when or what I can modify or change with their signature to have a compelete packet for filing. I understand the security purposes of it.

 

Next time you answer a post please provide a more productive response.

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

Divide and conquer.  Prepare documents and send for signature in multiple batches rather than one humongous file.  For obvious reasons, you cannot unlock after signature. 

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User & Community Expert
Participant
April 17, 2020

I use Adobe DC.  

 

[Mod note... Adobe is the COMPANY name, Acrobat is the PROGRAM name]

[Moving to Acrobat... To find a forum for your program please start at https://community.adobe.com/]

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
April 17, 2020

Please post the name of the Adobe program you use so a Moderator may move this message to that forum