Rule 1002 Requirement of the Original

If you want to prove what a document, recording, or photo says or shows, you need to bring the actual original to court. You cannot just tell the judge or jury what you remember it said or showed.

For example, if a contract is central to your case, you need to produce the real contract, not just describe it from memory. The same goes for videos, audio recordings, and photographs.

There are exceptions built into other court rules and state laws that allow copies or other substitutes in certain situations. But the starting point is always the original.