Rule 1452 A seal is presumed to be genuine and its use authorized if it purports to be the seal of: (a) The United States or a department, agency, or public emp…

When a document has an official seal from a government or public body, the court automatically assumes that seal is real and was used properly. You do not need to prove the seal is genuine just because someone questions it.

This applies to seals from U.S. federal agencies, state and local governments, foreign governments recognized by the U.S., courts that handle maritime cases, and notaries public. If a document carries one of these seals, the court treats it as legitimate unless there is a good reason to think otherwise.

This rule makes it easier to use official documents in court. Without it, people would have to go through extra steps to prove that a government stamp or seal is authentic every single time one appears on a document.