US Laws, Codes, Statutes & Cases

1400.  Authentication of a writing means (a) the introduction of
evidence sufficient to sustain a finding that it is the writing that
the proponent of the evidence claims it is or (b) the establishment
of such facts by any other means provided by law.



1401.  (a) Authentication of a writing is required before it may be
received in evidence.
   (b) Authentication of a writing is required before secondary
evidence of its content may be received in evidence.



1402.  The party producing a writing as genuine which has been
altered, or appears to have been altered, after its execution, in a
part material to the question in dispute, must account for the
alteration or appearance thereof.  He may show that the alteration
was made by another, without his concurrence, or was made with the
consent of the parties affected by it, or otherwise properly or
innocently made, or that the alteration did not change the meaning or
language of the instrument.  If he does that, he may give the
writing in evidence, but not otherwise.