AUTHENTICATION

authentication,n.1.  Broadly,  the  act  of  proving  that  something  (as  a  document)  is  true  or

genuine,  esp.  so  that  it  may  be  admitted  as  evidence;  the  condition  of  being  so  proved

<authentication  of  the  handwriting>.  [Cases:  Criminal  Law    444;  Evidence    366–381.]  2.

Specif., the assent to or adoption of a writing as one’s own.

“The  concept  of  authentication,  although  continually  used  by  the  courts  without  apparent

difficulty,  seems  almost  to  defy  precise  definition.  Some  writers  have  construed  the  term  very

broadly,  as  does  Wigmore  when  he  states  that  ‘when  a  claim  or  offer  involves  impliedly  or

expressly  any  element  of  personal  connection  with  a  corporeal  object,  that  connection  must  be

made  to  appear  ….’  So  defined,  ‘authentication’  is  not  only  a  necessary  preliminary  to  the

introduction  of  most  writings  in  evidence,  but  also  to  the  introduction  of  various  other  sorts  of

tangibles.” John W. Strong et al., McCormick on Evidence § 218, at 350 (5th ed. 1999)(italics in

original).

self-authentication.  Authentication  without  extrinsic  evidence  of  truth  or  genuineness.  •  In

federal courts, certain writings, such as notarized documents and certified copies of public records,

may  be  admitted  into  evidence  by  self-authentication.  Fed.  R. Evid.  902.  [Cases:  Criminal  Law

444; Evidence    366–381.][Blacks Law 8th]