Do I have to sign the electronic service document even if it is opened?

Electronic service documents should be signed even if they are opened. If you don't respond to the lawsuit, the court can hear it in absentia. The addressee shall confirm it in the confirmation of the service address of the people's court. If the people's court can serve legal documents by electronic means, the addressee shall sign for confirmation with the feature code in the short message sent by the people's court. At the end of the short message sent by the people's court, there will be a link to the legal document webpage and a feature code to enter the webpage, which is the electronic delivery method of the addressee.

The electronic service document of the court may not be signed. According to the contents of relevant national laws, it can be known that no one signed for it after the electronic service, and the court chose to serve it by announcement. The whereabouts of the addressee is unknown, or it cannot be served by other legal means. Sixty days after the announcement, it shall be deemed to have been delivered. If the plaintiff fails to sign the court summons, it shall be deemed as withdrawal of the lawsuit. If the defendant does not sign for it, the court may try it in absentia, which is regarded as the defendant's waiver of the right to give evidence, cross-examination and reply. If it is a judgment document, the failure to sign for it does not affect the entry into force of the document.

Legal basis: Article 87 of the Civil Procedure Law of People's Republic of China (PRC).

With the consent of the person to be served, the people's court may serve litigation documents by fax, e-mail and other means that can confirm receipt, except for judgments, rulings and conciliation statements. If it is delivered by the way mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the date when it reaches the addressee's specific system by fax or e-mail shall be the date of delivery.