§ 1271 [Business Records Exception to Hearsay Rule]

This rule lets business records get used as evidence in court, even though they would normally count as hearsay. Hearsay is usually not allowed because it's an out-of-court statement being used to prove something is true, but business records are treated differently because businesses have good reasons to keep accurate records.

For a business record to be allowed as evidence, it has to meet four requirements. First, someone at the business must have created the record as a normal part of doing business, not just for a lawsuit. Second, the record has to be made close to the time the event actually happened, not written up months or years later from memory. Third, someone who knows how the record was created, like an employee or the person in charge of keeping records, has to come to court and explain how it was made. Fourth, the way the record was created and the information used to make it have to seem reliable and trustworthy.

In practical terms, this rule matters a lot in cases involving medical records, financial statements, employment files, and similar documents. If a business kept a record the normal way, at the time things happened, and someone can explain how it was made, that record can usually be used in court to prove what actually happened.