Also known as: self-authenticate · self-authenticates · self-authenticated · self-authentication · self authenticating
Written by attorneys · grounded in primary & secondary sources — see below
A characteristic of certain documents or items of evidence by which they establish their own genuineness on their face. This feature permits admission without testimony or other extrinsic proof of authenticity.
Serena Soto sues Sydney Santos to establish paternity of her child. She offers a genetic testing report that appears in a record and carries the signature under penalty of perjury of a laboratory designee. The court admits the report without requiring additional testimony because the document meets the criteria for self-authentication.
Sylvia Santos offers a certified county health inspection report bearing the official county health department seal to show a resort passed inspection. The resort objects that no custodian testified. The court overrules the objection and admits the report because the seal on its face satisfies the requirement for self-authentication.
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Self-authentication satisfies only the threshold requirement of authenticity. The opponent remains free to introduce evidence showing the document is not genuine or to argue that it deserves little weight.
Documents bearing an official governmental seal and signature, certified copies of public records, notarized acknowledgments, commercial paper, and certain business records accompanied by a proper certification all qualify.
Supporting sources
A genetic testing report is self-authenticating when it is in a record and signed under penalty of perjury by a designee of the testing laboratory, satisfying the requirements of the uniform act.
Supporting sources
The presence of a qualifying official seal on its face is sufficient regardless of later custody. The rule does not require proof of chain of custody once the seal requirement is met.
…certificate from the document's custodian stating that the copy is accurate. See, e.g. , Fed. Rule Evid. 902(4) (in order to be self-authenticating, a copy of a public record must be "certified as correct by the custodian"); Rule 902(11) (business record must be "accompanied by a written declaration of its custodian"). Under one…