ETcH vs Bailiff: when to choose what?
The bailiff's report is often presented as the ultimate proof. And it's true: before a court, a bailiff's act has evidential force that is difficult to challenge. But this power comes at a price — literally.
The bailiff's report: how it works
A bailiff (now 'judicial commissioner' in France) is a ministerial officer. When they establish a report, they certify having personally observed a fact at a given date. This document becomes an authentic act, very difficult to contest in court.
- Making an appointment (variable delay depending on availability)
- Printing the document to be certified
- Traveling to the office or having the bailiff come to you
- Drafting the official report
- Payment: EUR 150 to 500 depending on complexity
For a 300-page manuscript, add EUR 20-40 for printing.
| ETcH | Bailiff | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | EUR 2 | EUR 150-500 + printing |
| Delay | Immediate | Days to weeks |
| Process | 100% online | Appointment, travel, formalities |
| Format | Any digital file | Paper (printing required) |
| Legal weight | Strong | Very strong |
| Suited for multiple versions | ✓ | ✗ |
| Independent verification | ✓ | ✗ |
| Verification cost | Free (permanent) | Paid copy |
What the bailiff does better
Let's be honest: the bailiff's report has advantages that ETcH does not claim to match.
Maximum evidential force
An authentic act benefits from a presumption of truthfulness. The burden of proof is reversed: it is up to the opponent to demonstrate that the report is false — which is very difficult.
Immediate recognition
All courts, all lawyers, all judges know the value of a bailiff's report. No explanation needed.
Complex fact reporting
A bailiff can certify more than a document: a website online, a physical situation, a behavior. ETcH only does file timestamping.
What ETcH does differently
Cost changes everything
At EUR 150-500 per report, you think twice. You wait for 'the' final version. At EUR 2, you can anchor every significant version of your work. You build a complete history of your creative process — which, in case of a dispute, can be more convincing than a single date.
Immediacy matters
An idea comes to you at 11 PM on a Sunday. With ETcH, you anchor it within a minute. With a bailiff, you wait until Monday — or longer.
Digital stays digital
No need to print 300 pages to prove the existence of a manuscript. The file is hashed as-is. Your .docx, your .psd, your .zip of source code — everything can be timestamped directly.
Two tools, two uses
The real question is not 'ETcH or bailiff?' but 'when to use what?'
ETcH is ideal for:
- Ongoing, continuous protection
- Individual creators with limited budgets
- Projects with many iterations
- Documenting your creative process
- Precautionary timestamping before sharing
The bailiff is relevant for:
- High-stakes financial situations
- Disputes already underway or imminent
- Cases where you need instant court recognition
- Certifying facts (not just documents)
Nothing prevents you from anchoring your creations with ETcH throughout the process, then having a bailiff certify the final version if the stakes justify it. You then have the best of both worlds.
The question of legal recognition
A point that would be dishonest to avoid: blockchain is a recent technology. Not all judges are familiar with it yet.
What works in ETcH's favor: the European eIDAS regulation recognizes electronic timestamps as evidence. Case law is evolving favorably. The principle is simple to explain: a fingerprint, a date, a public immutable ledger.
In practice, ETcH proof will be all the stronger when it is part of a consistent body of evidence — which is exactly what regular, low-cost timestamping enables.
The bailiff remains the heavy artillery, for situations that warrant it. ETcH is the everyday tool: accessible, immediate, designed for creators who want to protect their work without waiting for a dispute or a legal budget. The two can coexist — and often, that's the best strategy.