Under the ancient document doctrine, which statement is true?

Under the ancient document doctrine, which statement is true?

• A. The ancient document doctrine requires that the document be at least a hundred years old.
• B. Found in the place expected.
• C. Facial suspicion of tampering is irrelevant to the doctrine.
• D. The document must be printed on parchment.

Answer: (B)

The ancient document doctrine allows a writing to come in if it is sufficiently old, found where such documents are normally kept, and appears free from suspicion of tampering. The statement about being found in the place where such papers are ordinarily kept captures the crucial location requirement of this doctrine. The age requirement is that the document be at least 20 years old, not 100, so that option is incorrect. Facial suspicion of tampering is not irrelevant—on the contrary, the document should appear free from tampering. And there’s no requirement that the document be printed on parchment. So the correct statement is that the document is found in the place expected.

The ancient document doctrine allows a writing to come in if it is sufficiently old, found where such documents are normally kept, and appears free from suspicion of tampering. The statement about being found in the place where such papers are ordinarily kept captures the crucial location requirement of this doctrine. The age requirement is that the document be at least 20 years old, not 100, so that option is incorrect. Facial suspicion of tampering is not irrelevant—on the contrary, the document should appear free from tampering. And there’s no requirement that the document be printed on parchment. So the correct statement is that the document is found in the place expected.