Art. 1005 Public records

When you need to prove what an official government record says, you usually don't need to bring the original document to court. Instead, you can use a copy, as long as that copy is certified as accurate or someone who compared it to the original testifies that it's correct. This applies to public records, documents that are legally recorded or filed, and even data stored in other formats like databases.

This rule makes it easier to use records like deeds, court filings, or government documents in court without hauling around fragile or hard-to-move originals. Certified copies are treated as trustworthy stand-ins for the real thing.

If you try hard to get a proper certified copy but simply can't get one, the rule still gives you a way forward. You can use other evidence to show what the record said, even if it's not a perfect certified copy. The court understands that sometimes the ideal option isn't available, so it allows some flexibility as long as you made a real effort first.