Under the original document rule, when the contents of a document are the subject of inquiry, what is required?

Under the original document rule, when the contents of a document are the subject of inquiry, what is required?

• A. The original must be produced.
• B. Photocopies are admissible without proof of loss.
• C. A witness's testimony alone suffices.
• D. The duplicate is sufficient.

Answer: (A)

When the contents of a document are at issue, the original document must be produced as the best evidence of what the document says. This rule protects accuracy and authenticity, preventing misrepresentation that could come from copies or summaries. A witness’s testimony alone cannot prove the contents when the original exists; a copy or summary is not as reliable. Duplicates can be used in place of the original only when there is no genuine question about the original’s authenticity, and the original is unavailable only under certain conditions. Photocopies, on the other hand, are not automatically admissible without showing that the original is lost or unobtainable, so they do not satisfy the requirement by themselves. Thus, the required action is to produce the original document.

When the contents of a document are at issue, the original document must be produced as the best evidence of what the document says. This rule protects accuracy and authenticity, preventing misrepresentation that could come from copies or summaries. A witness’s testimony alone cannot prove the contents when the original exists; a copy or summary is not as reliable.

Duplicates can be used in place of the original only when there is no genuine question about the original’s authenticity, and the original is unavailable only under certain conditions. Photocopies, on the other hand, are not automatically admissible without showing that the original is lost or unobtainable, so they do not satisfy the requirement by themselves.

Thus, the required action is to produce the original document.