How To Get Police Reports Admitted Into Evidence

Author: 30klife December 19, 2022

Using Police Reports as Evidence in Texas Car Accident Cases

Certain Police Reports Admissible In Court

Intro: For lawyers representing clients in a car accident case in Texas, police reports can often be key pieces of evidence.

As such, it is important for attorneys to know what steps must be taken to ensure that the police report is admitted into evidence in a trial. This blog post will serve as a guide on how to properly obtain and use police reports as evidence in the state of Texas.

Obtaining a Police Report

Police Chase Report

To begin, it’s important to understand who has access to an incident report from an auto accident and when they can access it.

Generally speaking, only parties involved or their representatives—such as their attorneys—are able to obtain the report by submitting a written request with the appropriate information. This includes the date, time, and location of the incident as well as personal information about those involved (e.g., name, driver’s license number).

The request should also include payment for any fees associated with obtaining the police report.

Once you have submitted your request and paid any necessary fees, you will receive the report within 10-14 days. It is important to note that some states may have different requirements for obtaining police reports; check with your local law enforcement agency before submitting your request for more information on specific procedures.

Using Police Reports In Court

Are Police Reports Hearsay?

When using a police report as evidence in court, you must make sure that it meets certain requirements set forth by the state of Texas according to Rules of Civil Procedure Rule 193. Specifically, this rule requires that all documents admitted into evidence meet certain criteria such as being authenticated by a witness or having been previously authenticated during another proceeding.

Police Officer Hearsay Exception

Additionally, if you are using an officer’s testimony along with their written report or statement, then the officer must be available at trial for cross-examination purposes or else the documents cannot be admitted into evidence under Rule 193(a)(2).

Can Police Reports Be Used As Evidence?

Police reports can be invaluable pieces of evidence when trying car accident cases in Texas courts. To ensure that they are admissible into evidence however, attorneys must follow proper procedures when obtaining and filing them in court proceedings.

By understanding these guidelines and following them closely when preparing for trial, it will give lawyers greater confidence knowing that their clients’ cases will have strong support from valid sources of documentation like police reports. With this knowledge and preparation ahead of time, litigators can feel more secure about presenting their case with solid proof backing up its claims.

Ultimately this means better outcomes for both lawyer and client alike!

See also…Car Accident Lawyer Reviews