Rule 803 — Exceptions to the Rule Against Hearsay—Regardless of Whether the Declarant Is Available as a Witness

Fed. R. Evid. 803

• Source: Federal Rules of Evidence
• Rule: 803
• ARTICLE VIII: HEARSAY
• Citation: Fed. R. Evid. 803

Text

The following are not excluded by the rule against hearsay, re-
gardless of whether the declarant is available as a witness:
(1) Present Sense Impression. A statement describing or ex-
plaining an event or condition, made while or immediately
after the declarant perceived it.
(2) Excited Utterance. A statement relating to a startling
event or condition, made while the declarant was under the
stress of excitement that it caused.
(3) Then-Existing Mental, Emotional, or Physical Condition. A
statement of the declarant’s then-existing state of mind (such
as motive, intent, or plan) or emotional, sensory, or physical
condition (such as mental feeling, pain, or bodily health), but
not including a statement of memory or belief to prove the
fact remembered or believed unless it relates to the validity or
terms of the declarant’s will.
(4) Statement Made for Medical Diagnosis or Treatment. A
statement that:
(A) is made for—and is reasonably pertinent to—medical
diagnosis or treatment; and

(B) describes medical history; past or present symptoms
or sensations; their inception; or their general cause.
(5) Recorded Recollection. A record that:
(A) is on a matter the witness once knew about but now
cannot recall well enough to testify fully and accurately;
(B) was made or adopted by the witness when the matter
was fresh in the witness’s memory; and
(C) accurately reflects the witness’s knowledge.
If admitted, the record may be read into evidence but may
be received as an exhibit only if offered by an adverse party.
(6) Records of a Regularly Conducted Activity. A record of an
act, event, condition, opinion, or diagnosis if:
(A) the record was made at or near the time by—or from
information transmitted by—someone with knowledge;
(B) the record was kept in the course of a regularly con-
ducted activity of a business, organization, occupation, or
calling, whether or not for profit;
(C) making the record was a regular practice of that ac-
tivity;
(D) all these conditions are shown by the testimony of
the custodian or another qualified witness, or by a certifi-
cation that complies with Rule 902(11) or (12) or with a
statute permitting certification; and
(E) the opponent does not show that the source of infor-
mation or the method or circumstances of preparation in-
dicate a lack of trustworthiness.
(7) Absence of a Record of a Regularly Conducted Activity. Evi-
dence that a matter is not included in a record described in
paragraph (6) if:
(A) the evidence is admitted to prove that the matter did
not occur or exist;
(B) a record was regularly kept for a matter of that kind;
and
(C) the opponent does not show that the possible source
of the information or other circumstances indicate a lack
of trustworthiness.
(8) Public Records. A record or statement of a public office if:
(A) it sets out:
(i) the office’s activities;
(ii) a matter observed while under a legal duty to re-
port, but not including, in a criminal case, a matter
observed by law-enforcement personnel; or
(iii) in a civil case or against the government in a
criminal case, factual findings from a legally author-
ized investigation; and
(B) the opponent does not show that the source of infor-
mation or other circumstances indicate a lack of trust-
worthiness.
(9) Public Records of Vital Statistics. A record of a birth, death,
or marriage, if reported to a public office in accordance with
a legal duty.
(10) Absence of a Public Record. Testimony—or a certification
under Rule 902—that a diligent search failed to disclose a pub-
lic record or statement if:
(A) the testimony or certification is admitted to prove
that

(i) the record or statement does not exist; or
(ii) a matter did not occur or exist, if a public office
regularly kept a record or statement for a matter of
that kind; and
(B) in a criminal case, a prosecutor who intends to offer
a certification provides written notice of that intent at
least 14 days before trial, and the defendant does not ob-
ject in writing within 7 days of receiving the notice—un-
less the court sets a different time for the notice or the ob-
jection.
(11) Records of Religious Organizations Concerning Personal or
Family History. A statement of birth, legitimacy, ancestry,
marriage, divorce, death, relationship by blood or marriage, or
similar facts of personal or family history, contained in a reg-
ularly kept record of a religious organization.
(12) Certificates of Marriage, Baptism, and Similar Ceremonies. A
statement of fact contained in a certificate:
(A) made by a person who is authorized by a religious or-
ganization or by law to perform the act certified;
(B) attesting that the person performed a marriage or
similar ceremony or administered a sacrament; and
(C) purporting to have been issued at the time of the act
or within a reasonable time after it.
(13) Family Records. A statement of fact about personal or
family history contained in a family record, such as a Bible,
genealogy, chart, engraving on a ring, inscription on a por-
trait, or engraving on an urn or burial marker.
(14) Records of Documents That Affect an Interest in Property.
The record of a document that purports to establish or affect
an interest in property if:
(A) the record is admitted to prove the content of the
original recorded document, along with its signing and its
delivery by each person who purports to have signed it;
(B) the record is kept in a public office; and
(C) a statute authorizes recording documents of that
kind in that office.
(15) Statements in Documents That Affect an Interest in Prop-
erty. A statement contained in a document that purports to es-
tablish or affect an interest in property if the matter stated
was relevant to the document’s purpose—unless later dealings
with the property are inconsistent with the truth of the state-
ment or the purport of the document.
(16) Statements in Ancient Documents. A statement in a docu-
ment that was prepared before January 1, 1998, and whose au-
thenticity is established.
(17) Market Reports and Similar Commercial Publications. Mar-
ket quotations, lists, directories, or other compilations that
are generally relied on by the public or by persons in particu-
lar occupations.
(18) Statements in Learned Treatises, Periodicals, or Pamphlets.
A statement contained in a treatise, periodical, or pamphlet
if:
(A) the statement is called to the attention of an expert
witness on cross-examination or relied on by the expert on
direct examination; and

(B) the publication is established as a reliable authority
by the expert’s admission or testimony, by another ex-
pert’s testimony, or by judicial notice.
If admitted, the statement may be read into evidence but
not received as an exhibit.
(19) Reputation Concerning Personal or Family History. A rep-
utation among a person’s family by blood, adoption, or mar-
riage—or among a person’s associates or in the community—
concerning the person’s birth, adoption, legitimacy, ancestry,
marriage, divorce, death, relationship by blood, adoption, or
marriage, or similar facts of personal or family history.
(20) Reputation Concerning Boundaries or General History. A
reputation in a community—arising before the controversy—
concerning boundaries of land in the community or customs
that affect the land, or concerning general historical events
important to that community, state, or nation.
(21) Reputation Concerning Character. A reputation among a
person’s associates or in the community concerning the per-
son’s character.
(22) Judgment of a Previous Conviction. Evidence of a final
judgment of conviction if:
(A) the judgment was entered after a trial or guilty plea,
but not a nolo contendere plea;
(B) the conviction was for a crime punishable by death
or by imprisonment for more than a year;
(C) the evidence is admitted to prove any fact essential
to the judgment; and
(D) when offered by the prosecutor in a criminal case for
a purpose other than impeachment, the judgment was
against the defendant.
The pendency of an appeal may be shown but does not affect
admissibility.
(23) Judgments Involving Personal, Family, or General History,
or a Boundary. A judgment that is admitted to prove a matter
of personal, family, or general history, or boundaries, if the
matter:
(A) was essential to the judgment; and
(B) could be proved by evidence of reputation.
(24) [Other Exceptions.] [Transferred to Rule 807.]

Advisory Committee Notes

(As amended Pub. L. 94–149, §1(11), Dec. 12, 1975, 89 Stat. 805; Mar. 2, 1987, eff. Oct. 1, 1987; Apr. 11, 1997, eff. Dec. 1, 1997; Apr. 17, 2000, eff. Dec. 1, 2000; Apr. 26, 2011, eff. Dec. 1, 2011; Apr. 13, 2013, eff. Dec. 1, 2013; Apr. 25, 2014, eff. Dec. 1, 2014; Apr. 27, 2017, eff. Dec. 1, 2017.)