Cyber Notary: The Transformation of Public Legal Services Based on “Internet + Notarization”

In civil law jurisdictions, the notarial system is considered an effective mechanism for pre-litigation dispute prevention. In China, the notarization system has also played a significant role in constructing the public legal service system. At present, with the advancement of Internet technology, many countries (such as Germany, Indonesia, etc.) are beginning to integrate notarial technology into the Internet, giving rise to Cyber Notary services. China also explored Cyber Notary in 2020, creating a public legal service ecosystem of “Internet + Notarization.” Presently, there are still unresolved issues pertaining to the provision of notarial services through the Internet. On one hand, the credibility of the source from the applicant’s submitted application materials checklist needs to be verified. On the other hand, despite the electronic document being signed, there still exist deficiencies in the integration and confirmation processes with relevant government agencies. Therefore, traditional notarial services still require refinement in the process of transitioning towards innovative Cyber Notary services. This article employs literature analysis and a comparative method to examine the Cyber Notary system in civil law countries, focusing on Mainland China. It also proposes solutions to optimise the traditional notarial system's transformation, particularly in ensuring the credibility of evidence material lists and the identification and confirmation of electronic notarial documents. It aims to provide feasible strategies for judicial practice in China and maximise the value of internet notarization in innovative government legal services.