Under Rule 1003, duplicates are admissible to the same extent as the original unless what is raised?

• A. A genuine question about the original's authenticity.
• B. A minor clerical error.
• C. A party objects to hearsay.
• D. A dispute about the jurisdiction.

Answer: (A)

Duplicates are generally admissible for the same weight as the original because they reliably reflect what the original shows. The big exception is when there is a genuine question about whether the original is authentic. If authenticity is in doubt, a duplicate isn’t automatically allowed in place of the original; the court would require authentication or the original itself to resolve the doubt. This rule balances efficiency with accuracy, letting copies stand in for originals in normal cases while safeguarding against presenting a copy that might not truly reflect the original.

The other situations listed don’t automatically block duplicates on Rule 1003 alone. A minor clerical error can often be addressed without denying the duplicate’s admissibility. A hearsay objection concerns the content’s truth rather than the copy’s authenticity. A dispute about jurisdiction doesn’t speak to whether the copy accurately represents the original.