Under 201(b), what must the court do when a party properly requests judicial notice?

• A. Must take judicial notice
• B. May take judicial notice
• C. Must deny
• D. Must take judicial notice if properly requested and information is supplied

Answer: (D)

Judicial notice lets a court accept certain facts as true without presenting formal evidence. Under Rule 201(b), there are facts that may be noticed because they are not subject to reasonable dispute—either because they’re generally known within the court’s jurisdiction or because they can be accurately determined from sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned. When a party properly requests judicial notice and provides the information necessary to verify the fact (such as official statutes, public records, or reliable sources), the court is required to take judicial notice. This means the court must treat the noticed fact as established for the purposes of the case. The requirement that the information be supplied ensures the court has a trustworthy basis for the notice. If the party doesn’t supply the necessary information, the court isn’t bound to take notice.