§ 40.580 Rule 1007. Testimony or written admission of party

If you want to prove what was in a document, recording, or photo, there's an easier option when you're dealing with the other side in the case. You can simply use their own testimony (spoken in court or given in a deposition) or their written admission to show what the writing, recording, or photo said. You don't need to explain why you don't have the original item.

This means if the other party has already testified about what a document said, or admitted in writing what it contained, that testimony or admission can be used as proof. You're not required to track down the actual original document or explain what happened to it. This makes things simpler when the other side has already confirmed the content themselves, either through their own statements in court or through something they put in writing.