What is the final step to admit a document into evidence?

What is the final step to admit a document into evidence?

• A. Say, 'I'd like to admit this document into evidence as prosecution (or defense) exhibit #__.'
• B. Hand the evidence to the bailiff.
• C. Read/describe what you see.
• D. Mark it for identification.

Answer: (A)

The action that officially places a document into evidence is the formal offer to admit it as an exhibit. After you’ve laid the groundwork and identified the document, you state to the court that you would like to admit the document into evidence as Exhibit number X. This explicit request triggers the judge’s determination on admissibility and completes the admission into the record. Other steps are preparatory or clerical: handing the document to the bailiff is simply passing custody, reading or describing it helps present its content but does not admit it, and marking for identification identifies the document for the record but does not itself admit it into evidence.

The action that officially places a document into evidence is the formal offer to admit it as an exhibit. After you’ve laid the groundwork and identified the document, you state to the court that you would like to admit the document into evidence as Exhibit number X. This explicit request triggers the judge’s determination on admissibility and completes the admission into the record. Other steps are preparatory or clerical: handing the document to the bailiff is simply passing custody, reading or describing it helps present its content but does not admit it, and marking for identification identifies the document for the record but does not itself admit it into evidence.