Rule 5.1003 Admissibility of duplicates

Here's what this rule means: if you have a copy of a document (like a photocopy, scan, or printout), you can generally use that copy in court just like you would use the original.

The law treats copies and originals the same way in most cases. You don't have to track down the original document if you have a good copy of it. Courts allow this because copying technology today is reliable, so copies usually match the original exactly.

There are two situations where a copy might not be allowed, though. First, if someone raises a real doubt about whether the original document was authentic or genuine, the copy might not be good enough. Second, if using a copy instead of the original would be unfair to one side in the case, given the specific facts, the court can refuse to allow the copy. In those situations, the court may require the original document instead.