Pursuant to the authority vested in me, and with the approval of the Administrative Board of the Courts, I hereby promulgate, effective February 1, 2007, the attached amendment to section 130-1.1-a(b) of the Rules of the Chief Administrator, relating to the signing of papers.

Section 130-1.1a Signing of papers.

(a) Signature. Every pleading, written motion, and other paper, served on another party or filed or submitted to the court shall be signed by an attorney, or by a party if the party is not represented by an attorney, with the name of the attorney or party clearly printed or typed directly below the signature. Absent good cause shown, the court shall strike any unsigned paper if the omission of the signature is not corrected promptly after being called to the attention of the attorney or party.

(b) Certification. By signing a paper, an attorney or party certifies that, to the best of that person's knowledge, information and belief, formed after an inquiry reasonable under the circumstances, (1) the presentation of the paper or the contentions therein are not frivolous as defined in section 130-1.1(c) of this Subpart, and (2) where the paper is an initiating pleading, (i) the matter was not obtained through illegal conduct, or that if it was, the attorney or other persons responsible for the illegal conduct are not participating in the matter or sharing in any fee earned therefrom, and (ii) the matter was not obtained in violation of 22 NYCRR 1200.41-a [DR 7-111].