When is a duplicate admissible under Rule 1003?

• A. Duplicates are never admissible.
• B. Duplicates are admissible if they accurately reflect the original and are not unfairly prejudicial.
• C. Duplicates are only admissible if the original is lost or destroyed.
• D. Duplicates are admissible regardless of authenticity concerns.

Answer: (B)

Duplicating evidence is allowed as long as the copy faithfully mirrors the original and its admission wouldn’t unfairly prejudice the fact-finder. This means the duplicate should accurately reflect the original’s content and characteristics, so the information the jury sees is the same as what the original would show. At the same time, the court weighs fairness under Rule 403: if admitting the duplicate would tilt the proceeding in an unfair way, the court can exercise its gatekeeping power. Authenticity concerns can still matter—if there’s a genuine question about the original’s authenticity, that can limit or condition the duplicate’s use—but when the duplicate is a true, non-prejudicial reflection, it’s admissible to prove the content of the original.