No, a power of attorney is not the same as being appointed by a court of law as someone's representative. Moreover, the powers of a court appointed representative will generally be defined in the court order and depending on the court order, may or may not include the power to file tax documents.
Because it appears that you intend to sign your mother's return as a representative, you must have a power of attorney attached that specifically authorizes you to sign the return. Because the power of attorney needs to be attached to the return, filing a paper return appears to be your only option. If your power of attorney does not specifically authorize you to file your mother's return, you can use Form 2848 to accomplish the same result.
@BrentM3
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