TEX RULES OF EVIDENCE.

ARTICLE I. GENERAL PROVISIONS

RULE 101. TITLE AND SCOPE (a) Title. These rles shall !e "#$%# a#& 'ite&
as the Te(as
Rles $) E*i&e#'e.
(!) S'$+e. E('e+t as $ther%ise +r$*i&e& !, statte- these rles .$*er# 'i*il
a#& 'ri/i#al +r$'ee&i#.s (i#'l&i#. e(a/i#i#. trials !e)$re /a.istrates) i#
all '$rts $) Te(as- e('e+t s/all 'lai/s '$rts.
(d) Fundamental Error in Criminal Cases. In a criminal case, nothing
in these rules precludes taking notice of fundamental errors
afecting substantial rights although they were not brought to the
attention of the court.
!"E #$%. &I'I"E(E) *+,,E )I-C".-E) !/)E C.*&!"-I./ .
0I,1.!, .&&.,!/I,2 ,. C"+I* &I'I"E(E
+ claim of pri3ilege is not defeated by a disclosure which was ($)
compelled erroneously or (%) made without opportunity to claim the
pri3ilege.
!"E 45%. "+C6 .F &E-./+" 6/.0"E)(E
+ witness may not testify to a matter unless e3idence is introduced
su7cient to support a 8nding that the witness has personal
knowledge of the matter. E3idence to pro3e personal knowledge
may, but need not, consist of the testimony of the witness. ,his rule
is sub9ect to the pro3isions of ule :5;, relating to opinion
testimony by e<pert witnesses.
!"E 45;. .+,1 . +FFI*+,I./
=efore testifying, e3ery witness shall be re>uired to declare that the
witness will testify truthfully, by oath or a7rmation administered in
a form calculated to awaken the witness? conscience and impress
the witness? mind with the duty to do so.
!"E 45:. 01. *+2 I*&E+C1
,he credibility of a witness may be attacked by any party, including
the party calling the witness.
!"E 45@. E'I)E/CE .F C1++C,E +/) C./)!C, .F + 0I,/E--
(a) .pinion and eputation E3idence of Character. ,he credibility of
a witness may be attacked or supported by e3idence in the form of
opinion or reputation, but sub9ect to these limitationsA
($) the e3idence may refer only to character for truthfulness or
untruthfulnessB and
(%) e3idence of truthful character is admissible only after the
character of the witness for truthfulness has been attacked by
opinion or reputation e3idence or otherwise.
(!) S+e'i0' I#sta#'es $) C$#&'t. S+e'i0' i#sta#'es $) the '$#&'t $) a
%it#ess- )$r the +r+$se $) atta'"i#. $r s++$rti#. the %it#ess1 're&i!ilit,-
$ther tha# '$#*i'ti$# $) 'ri/e as +r$*i&e& i# Rle 203- /a, #$t !e i#4ire&
i#t$ $# 'r$ss5e(a/i#ati$# $) the %it#ess #$r +r$*e& !, e(tri#si' e*i&e#'e.
!"E 4$5. E"I(I.!- =E"IEF- . .&I/I./-
E3idence of the beliefs or opinions of a witness on matters of
religion is not admissible for the purpose of showing that by reason
of their nature the witness? credibility is impaired or enhanced.
RULE 607. 8EARSA9 RULE
8earsa, is #$t a&/issi!le e('e+t as +r$*i&e& !, statte $r these rles $r !,
$ther rles +res'ri!e& +rsa#t t$ statt$r, ath$rit,. I#a&/issi!le hearsa,
a&/itte& %ith$t $!:e'ti$# shall #$t !e &e#ie& +r$!ati*e *ale /erel,
!e'ase it is hearsa,.
+,IC"E IC. +!,1E/,IC+,I./ +/) I)E/,IFIC+,I./
!"E D5$. EE!IE*E/, .F +!,1E/,IC+,I./ . I)E/,IFIC+,I./
(a) (eneral &ro3ision. ,he re>uirement of authentication or
identi8cation as a condition precedent to admissibility is satis8ed
by e3idence su7cient to support a 8nding that the matter in
>uestion is what its proponent claims.
(b) Illustrations. =y way of illustration only, and not by way of
limitation, the following are e<amples of authentication or
identi8cation conforming with the re>uirements of this ruleA
($) ,estimony of witness with knowledge. ,estimony that a matter is
what it is claimed to be.
(;) P!li' re'$r&s $r re+$rts. E*i&e#'e that a %riti#. ath$ri<e& !, la% t$ !e
re'$r&e& $r 0le& a#& i# )a't re'$r&e& $r 0le& i# a +!li' $='e- $r a +r+$rte&
+!li' re'$r&- re+$rt- state/e#t- $r &ata '$/+ilati$#- i# a#, )$r/- is )r$/ the
+!li' $='e %here ite/s $) this #atre are "e+t.
(@) +ncient documents or data compilation. Evidence that a document
or data compilation, in any form, (A) is in such condition as to create no
suspicion concerning its authenticity, (B) was in a place where it, if authentic,
would likely be, and (C) has been in eistence twenty years or more at the
time it is o!ered.
($5) *ethods pro3ided by statute or rule . Any method of authentication
or identi"cation provided by statute or by other rule prescribed pursuant to
statutory authority.
!"E D5%. -E"FF+!,1E/,IC+,I./
E(tri#si' e*i&e#'e $) athe#ti'it, as a '$#&iti$# +re'e&e#t t$ a&/issi!ilit, is
#$t re4ire& %ith res+e't t$ the )$ll$%i#.>
(1) D$/esti' P!li' D$'/e#ts U#&er Seal. A &$'/e#t !eari#. a seal
+r+$rti#. t$ !e that $) the U#ite& States- $r $) a#, State- &istri't-
C$//$#%ealth- territ$r,- $r i#slar +$ssessi$# there$)- $r the Pa#a/a Ca#al
?$#e- $r the Trst Territ$r, $) the Pa'i0' Isla#&s- $r $) a +$liti'al s!&i*isi$#-
&e+art/e#t- $='er- $r a.e#', there$)- a#& a si.#atre +r+$rti#. t$ !e a#
attestati$# $r e(e'ti$#.
(%) )omestic &ublic )ocuments /ot !nder -eal. + document
purporting to bear the signature in the o7cial capacity of an o7cer
or employee of any entity included in paragraph ($) hereof, ha3ing
no seal, if a public o7cer ha3ing a seal and ha3ing o7cial duties in
the district or political subdi3ision of the o7cer or employee
certi8es under seal that the signer has the o7cial capacity and that
the signature is genuine.
(;) Foreign &ublic )ocuments. + document purporting to be
e<ecuted or attested in an o7cial capacity by a person, authoriGed
by the laws of a foreign country to make the e<ecution or
attestation, and accompanied by a 8nal certi8cation as to the
genuineness of the signature and o7cial position (+) of the
e<ecuting or attesting person, or (=) of any foreign o7cial whose
certifcate of genuineness of signature and ofcial position relates
to the e<ecution or attestation or is in a chain of certifcates of
genuineness of signature and ofcial position relating to the
e<ecution or attestation. + fnal certifcation may be made by a
secretary of embassy or legation, consul general, consul, 3ice
consul, or consular agent of the !nited -tates, or a diplomatic or
consular o7cial of the foreign country assigned or accredited to the
!nited -tates. If reasonable opportunity has been gi3en to all
parties to in3estigate the authenticity and accuracy of o7cial
documents, the court may, for good cause shown, order that they be
treated as presumpti3ely authentic without 8nal certi8cation or
permit them to be e3idenced by an attested summary with or
without 8nal certi8cation. ,he 8nal certi8cation shall be dispensed
with whene3er both the !nited -tates and the foreign country in
which the o7cial record is located are parties to a treaty or
con3ention that abolishes or displaces such re>uirement, in which
case the record and the attestation shall be certi8ed by the means
pro3ided in the treaty or con3ention.
(@) +cknowledged )ocuments. )ocuments accompanied by a
certi8cate of acknowledgment e<ecuted in the manner pro3ided by
law by a notary public or other ofcer authorized by law to take
acknowledgments.
(D) Commercial &aper and elated )ocuments.Commercial paper,
signatures thereon, and documents relating thereto to the e<tent
pro3ided by general commercial law.
($5)=usiness ecords +ccompanied by +7da3it.
($$)&resumptions !nder -tatutes or .ther ules. Any signature,
document, or other matter declared by statute or by other rules
prescribed pursuant to statutory authority to be presumptively or
prima facie genuine or authentic.