§ 24-10-1003 [Admissibility of Duplicates as Originals]

When you have a copy of a document, photo, or other item, courts will usually accept that copy the same way they would accept the original. You do not need to dig up the original just to satisfy a technical rule.

There are two situations where a copy might not be accepted. First, if someone seriously questions whether the original was real or tampered with, the court may require the actual original. Second, if using a copy instead of the original would somehow be unfair to one of the parties, the court can reject the copy.

In most everyday cases, a clear photocopy or digital copy of a document works just fine in court. The rule is designed to keep cases moving without making people hunt down original papers when a good copy is available.