A private document may be offered and admitted as both documentary evidence and as object evidence. Which defines object evidence?

A private document may be offered and admitted as both documentary evidence and as object evidence. Which defines object evidence?

• A. A document containing writings
• B. A physical item addressed to the senses of the court
• C. A recording that is not a document
• D. A public record only

Answer: (B)

Object evidence is a tangible, physical thing offered to prove a fact by its very existence and properties, something the court can perceive with its senses. A physical item addressed to the senses of the court fits this definition because it is the object itself that is being examined, not just what it says. A private document, by contrast, concerns the contents of writings (documentary evidence). A recording is a form of recorded evidence, usually treated as documentary rather than the physical object itself, and a public record is still a document.

Object evidence is a tangible, physical thing offered to prove a fact by its very existence and properties, something the court can perceive with its senses. A physical item addressed to the senses of the court fits this definition because it is the object itself that is being examined, not just what it says. A private document, by contrast, concerns the contents of writings (documentary evidence). A recording is a form of recorded evidence, usually treated as documentary rather than the physical object itself, and a public record is still a document.