This summary is not the rule. The rule text controls.
Hearsay is when someone tries to use a statement made outside of court to prove that what the statement says is true. This usually means repeating something someone else said, either in words or in writing, instead of having that person come to court and say it themselves.
This rule says courts cannot accept hearsay as evidence unless there's a specific exception that allows it. The idea behind this is fairness. If someone makes a claim, the other side should have the chance to question that person directly in court. Allowing secondhand statements without that chance could let unreliable or unfair information influence a case.
There are many exceptions to this rule, and they allow certain kinds of hearsay to be used in court. Things like statements made during an emergency, business records, or certain past statements by a witness can sometimes come in as evidence even though they are technically hearsay. But unless one of these exceptions applies, a statement made outside of court generally cannot be used to prove the truth of what it says.
