What does Rule 901 require for evidence to be admitted?

• A. Authentication of evidence prior to admission; proof it is what proponent claims; essentially the same condition as when found.
• B. Evidence must be examined by police before admissibility.
• C. Hearsay is allowed without foundation.
• D. Evidence must be relevant.

Answer: (A)

Rule 901 requires authentication or identification of the evidence before it can be admitted. In other words, there must be proof that the item is what the proponent says it is. This can be shown through testimony by someone with knowledge about the item, evidence of a chain of custody for physical objects, distinctive characteristics that identify the item, or other recognized methods. The idea is to establish that the item has not been misrepresented and is the same item found or claimed to be. This focus on proving what the item is, before considering other rules, is why the correct choice centers on authentication prior to admission. The other options miss this essential step: evidence isn’t required to be examined by police first; hearsay rules govern statements and their admissibility, not the basic authentication of physical or documentary evidence; and while relevance is necessary, authentication must be shown first to admit the item.