Verificación de la autenticidad de registros en procedimientos penales

Explicación Simple

Si necesitas usar un documento en un juicio, la ley dice que debes comprobar que es auténtico. Esto se hace a través de un certificado que dice quién lo hizo y que es verídico.

Es como pedirle a un amigo que firme un papel para probar que realmente estuviste en una fiesta con él. Su firma es la prueba de que lo que dices es cierto.

Ejemplo Práctico

Imagina que Juan está siendo acusado de un delito y tiene un recibo de una tienda que muestra que estaba allí en el momento del crimen. Para usar ese recibo como prueba, necesita que alguien de la tienda firme un documento que confirme que el recibo es auténtico y que fue emitido en el momento correcto.

Texto Original del Estatuto (Inglés)

(1) Upon written request from the applicant, or if ordered by the court, the recipient of criminal process shall verify the authenticity of records that it produces by providing an affidavit, declaration, or certification that complies with subsection (2) of this section. The requirements of RCW 5.45.020 regarding business records as evidence may be satisfied by an affidavit, declaration, or certification that complies with subsection (2) of this section, without the need for testimony from the custodian of records, regardless of whether the business records were produced by a foreign or Washington state entity.(2) To be admissible without testimony from the custodian of records, business records must be accompanied by an affidavit, declaration, or certification by its record custodian or other qualified person that includes contact information for the witness completing the document and attests to the following:(a) The witness is the custodian of the record or sets forth evidence that the witness is qualified to testify about the record;(b) The record was made at or near the time of the act, condition, or event set forth in the record by, or from information transmitted by, a person with knowledge of those matters;(c) The record was made in the regular course of business;(d) The identity of the record and the mode of its preparation; and(e) Either that the record is the original or that it is a duplicate that accurately reproduces the original.(3) A party intending to offer a record into evidence under this section must provide written notice of that intention to all adverse parties, and must make the record and affidavit, declaration, or certification available for inspection sufficiently in advance of their offer into evidence to provide an adverse party with a fair