Rule 643 A deed or will or other writing purporting to create, terminate, or affect an interest in real or personal property is presumed to be authentic if it:…

Old documents about property get a legal shortcut when it comes to proving they are real. If a deed, will, or similar paper is at least 30 years old, courts will assume it is authentic without requiring extra proof, as long as it meets a few conditions.

The document must look normal and undamaged in a way that raises no red flags. It also needs to have been stored in a logical place, like where important papers would normally be kept. Finally, people who had a stake in the property must have treated the document as genuine over the years.

This rule saves people from having to dig up old witnesses or records to prove that ancient property documents are real. If the paper is old, looks fine, was stored properly, and people acted on it like it was valid, the court accepts it as authentic.