Except as otherwise provided by statute, an original writing, recording, or photograph is required in order to prove the contents of the writing, recording, or photograph.
This statute is commonly known as the "Best Evidence Rule." Its purpose is to ensure accuracy and prevent fraud by requiring the most reliable evidence when proving the contents of a document. It means that if a party needs to prove what a document says, they must produce the original document rather than simply having a witness testify from memory about its contents. The key trigger for this rule is the phrase "to prove the contents," meaning it only applies when the specific words of the document are a central issue in the case. The phrase "Except as otherwise provided by statute" signals that the following rules will provide important exceptions where the original is not required.
