Legislation
SECTION 3122-A
Certification of business records
Civil Practice Law & Rules (CVP) CHAPTER 8, ARTICLE 31
Rule 3122-a. Certification of business records. (a) Business records
produced pursuant to a subpoena duces tecum under rule 3120 shall be
accompanied by a certification, sworn in the form of an affidavit and
subscribed by the custodian or other qualified witness charged with
responsibility of maintaining the records, stating in substance each of
the following:
1. The affiant is the duly authorized custodian or other qualified
witness and has authority to make the certification;
2. To the best of the affiant's knowledge, after reasonable inquiry,
the records or copies thereof are accurate versions of the documents
described in the subpoena duces tecum that are in the possession,
custody, or control of the person receiving the subpoena;
3. To the best of the affiant's knowledge, after reasonable inquiry,
the records or copies produced represent all the documents described in
the subpoena duces tecum, or if they do not represent a complete set of
the documents subpoenaed, an explanation of which documents are missing
and a reason for their absence is provided; and
4. The records or copies produced were made by the personnel or staff
of the business, or persons acting under their control, in the regular
course of business, at the time of the act, transaction, occurrence or
event recorded therein, or within a reasonable time thereafter, and that
it was the regular course of business to make such records.
(b) A certification made in compliance with subdivision (a) is
admissible as to the matters set forth therein and as to such matters
shall be presumed true. When more than one person has knowledge of the
facts, more than one certification may be made.
(c) A party intending to offer at a trial or hearing business records
authenticated by certification subscribed pursuant to this rule shall,
at least thirty days before the trial or hearing, give notice of such
intent and specify the place where such records may be inspected at
reasonable times. No later than ten days before the trial or hearing, a
party upon whom such notice is served may object to the offer of
business records by certification stating the grounds for the objection.
Such objection may be asserted in any instance and shall not be subject
to imposition of any penalty or sanction. Unless objection is made
pursuant to this subdivision, or is made at trial based upon evidence
which could not have been discovered by the exercise of due diligence
prior to the time for objection otherwise required by this subdivision,
business records certified in accordance with this rule shall be deemed
to have satisfied the requirements of subdivision (a) of rule 4518.
Notwithstanding the issuance of such notice or objection to same, a
party may subpoena the custodian to appear and testify and require the
production of original business records at the trial or hearing.
(d) The certification authorized by this rule may be used as to
business records produced by non-parties whether or not pursuant to a
subpoena so long as the custodian or other qualified witness attests to
the facts set forth in paragraphs one, two and four of subdivision (a)
of this rule.
produced pursuant to a subpoena duces tecum under rule 3120 shall be
accompanied by a certification, sworn in the form of an affidavit and
subscribed by the custodian or other qualified witness charged with
responsibility of maintaining the records, stating in substance each of
the following:
1. The affiant is the duly authorized custodian or other qualified
witness and has authority to make the certification;
2. To the best of the affiant's knowledge, after reasonable inquiry,
the records or copies thereof are accurate versions of the documents
described in the subpoena duces tecum that are in the possession,
custody, or control of the person receiving the subpoena;
3. To the best of the affiant's knowledge, after reasonable inquiry,
the records or copies produced represent all the documents described in
the subpoena duces tecum, or if they do not represent a complete set of
the documents subpoenaed, an explanation of which documents are missing
and a reason for their absence is provided; and
4. The records or copies produced were made by the personnel or staff
of the business, or persons acting under their control, in the regular
course of business, at the time of the act, transaction, occurrence or
event recorded therein, or within a reasonable time thereafter, and that
it was the regular course of business to make such records.
(b) A certification made in compliance with subdivision (a) is
admissible as to the matters set forth therein and as to such matters
shall be presumed true. When more than one person has knowledge of the
facts, more than one certification may be made.
(c) A party intending to offer at a trial or hearing business records
authenticated by certification subscribed pursuant to this rule shall,
at least thirty days before the trial or hearing, give notice of such
intent and specify the place where such records may be inspected at
reasonable times. No later than ten days before the trial or hearing, a
party upon whom such notice is served may object to the offer of
business records by certification stating the grounds for the objection.
Such objection may be asserted in any instance and shall not be subject
to imposition of any penalty or sanction. Unless objection is made
pursuant to this subdivision, or is made at trial based upon evidence
which could not have been discovered by the exercise of due diligence
prior to the time for objection otherwise required by this subdivision,
business records certified in accordance with this rule shall be deemed
to have satisfied the requirements of subdivision (a) of rule 4518.
Notwithstanding the issuance of such notice or objection to same, a
party may subpoena the custodian to appear and testify and require the
production of original business records at the trial or hearing.
(d) The certification authorized by this rule may be used as to
business records produced by non-parties whether or not pursuant to a
subpoena so long as the custodian or other qualified witness attests to
the facts set forth in paragraphs one, two and four of subdivision (a)
of this rule.