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Federal Rules of Evidence – Rule 1007 

(through July 14, 2022)

Crushed Rule

Originals aren’t required if the other side acknowledges their content by testimony, deposition, or written statement.

Actual Rule

The proponent may prove the content of a writing, recording, or photograph by the testimony, deposition, or written statement of the party against whom the evidence is offered. The proponent need not account for the original.

Selected Committee Notes 

While the parent case, Slatterie v. Pooley, 6 M. & W. 664, 151 Eng. Rep. 579 (Exch. 1840), allows proof of contents by evidence of an oral admission by the party against whom offered, without accounting for nonproduction of the original, the risk of inaccuracy is substantial and the decision is at odds with the purpose of the rule giving preference to the original. See 4 Wigmore §1255. The instant rule follows Professor McCormick’s suggestion of limiting this use of admissions to those made in the course of giving testimony or in writing. McCormick §208, p. 424. The limitation, of course, does not call for excluding evidence of an oral admission when nonproduction of the original has been accounted for and secondary evidence generally has become admissible. Rule 1004, supra.

A similar provision is contained in New Jersey Evidence Rule 70(1)(h).

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Key Rules (MBE/MEE)

• FRE 103 – Evidence Rulings
• FRE 104 – Preliminary Questions
• FRE 105 – Limiting How Evidence may be Used
• FRE 106 – Completeness Rule
• FRE 201 – Judicial Notice
• FRE 301 – Presumptions
• FRE 401 – Relevance
• FRE 402 – Irrelevant = Inadmissible
• FRE 403 – Excluding the Prejudicial, Confusing, etc.
• FRE 404 – Character Evidence
• FRE 405 – Proving Character
• FRE 406 – Habit, Routine
• FRE 407 – Subsequent Remedial Measures
• FRE 408 – Compromise Negotiations
• FRE 409 – Offers to Pay Expenses
• FRE 410 – Pleas, Related Statements
• FRE 411 – Liability Insurance
• FRE 412 – Victim’s Sexual Predisposition
• FRE 413, 414, 415 – Other Sex-Related Rules
• FRE 501 – Privilege in General
• FRE 502 – Attorney-Client Privilege, Work-Product Doctrine
• FRE 601 – Witness Competency
• FRE 602 – Personal Knowledge
• FRE 605 – Judge as Witness
• FRE 606 – Juror as Witness
• FRE 607 – Impeachment
• FRE 608 – Honest, Dishonest Character
• FRE 609 – Evidence of Criminal Conviction
• FRE 610 – Religious Beliefs
• FRE 611 – Mode, Order of Evidence
• FRE 612 – Recollection Refreshed
• FRE 613 – Prior Statements
• FRE 614 – Court Witness Examination
• FRE 615 – Excluding Witnesses
• FRE 701 – Non-Expert Opinion
• FRE 702 – Expert Opinion
• FRE 703 – Bases of Expert Opinion
• FRE 704 – Ultimate Issue
• FRE 705 – Disclosing Underlying Data
• FRE 801 – Hearsay Defined
• FRE 802 – Rule Against Hearsay
• FRE 803 – Strong Hearsay Exceptions
• FRE 804 – Weak Hearsay Exceptions
• FRE 805 – Double Hearsay
• FRE 806 – Impeaching Hearsay Declarants
• FRE 807 – Residual Hearsay Exception
• FRE 901 – Authentication, Identification
• FRE 902 – Self-Authenticating Evidence
• FRE 1001 – Original Defined
• FRE 1002 – Original Sometimes Required
• FRE 1003 – When Copies Generally Admissible
• FRE 1004 – Other Times Admissible
• FRE 1005 – Public Record Copies Often Admissible
• FRE 1006 – Summaries
• FRE 1007 – Acknowledged Content
• FRE 1008 – Functions of Court, Jury
• FRE 1101 – Rules’ Applicability