Rule 11-1003 Admissibility of duplicates.

A copy of a document, photo, or recording can be used in court just like the original. Judges treat duplicates as having the same value as an original piece of evidence, so you don't always need to track down and present the actual original item.

There are two situations where a copy might not be allowed. First, if someone raises a real doubt about whether the original document was genuine or accurate, the copy may not be good enough. Second, if using a copy instead of the original would be unfair to one side in the case, the court can refuse to accept it.

In everyday terms, this rule makes it easier to use copies of things like contracts, text messages, or photos in court. You don't have to worry about losing your case just because you have a copy instead of the original, as long as no one has a good reason to question whether that copy accurately reflects the real thing.