What does legal signature mean?

A legal signature is one which indicates the signer's intent to comply with the terms of a contract. This signature can be either physical or electronic; the only requirement is that the signature be both voluntary and legitimate.

Electronic signatures gained official legal recognition with the passage of the Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act of 2000, or E-Sign Act. Some types of contract, such as a will or prenuptial agreement, must be signed in the presence of at least two witnesses, and all signatures made by illiterate persons must be witnessed in order to gain the weight of law.