Rule 2.9 Lost Papers

If you lose an original court document, you're not out of luck. A judge can allow you to file a copy instead, and that copy can be used in place of the missing original for the rest of the case.

This rule exists because paperwork sometimes gets lost, damaged, or destroyed. Instead of stopping the case or causing major problems, the court has a simple fix. You just need to ask the judge to approve using a copy in place of the original.

Keep in mind that you'll likely need to show the court that the original really is missing and that the copy is accurate. The judge has the final say on whether to allow this.