Documentary Evidence is defined as

• A. Verbal statements
• B. Physical objects
• C. Tangible records of business or correspondence; speaks for itself
• D. Digital data only

Answer: (C)

Documentary evidence refers to records that prove facts by their own content, rather than relying on someone’s oral testimony. It consists of tangible records of business or correspondence that speak for themselves, such as contracts, invoices, letters, receipts, and other written communications. Because the document itself carries the information, it can be used to establish a fact with less reliance on witness recollection, though it still must be properly authenticated and admissible under the rules. This is why the description “tangible records of business or correspondence; speaks for itself” best captures what documentary evidence is. Verbal statements describe oral testimony, not written records. Physical objects can be real evidence, but they aren’t documentary unless they are records. Digital data is a form of documentary evidence when it records information, but limiting it to digital data only would ignore non-digital written records.