New South Wales Consolidated Acts

EVIDENCE ACT 1995 - SECT 156

156 Public documents

(1) A document that purports to be a copy of, or an extract from or summary of, a public document and to have been--

(a) sealed with the seal of a person who, or a body that, might reasonably be supposed to have the custody of the public document, or

(b) certified as such a copy, extract or summary by a person who might reasonably be supposed to have custody of the public document,

is presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to be a copy of the public document, or an extract from or summary of the public document.

(2) If an officer entrusted with the custody of a public document is required by a court to produce the public document, it is sufficient compliance with the requirement for the officer to produce a copy of, or extract from, the public document if it purports to be signed and certified by the officer as a true copy or extract.

(3) It is sufficient production of a copy or extract for the purposes of subsection (2) if the officer sends it by prepaid post, or causes it to be delivered, to--

(a) the proper officer of the court in which it is to be produced, or

(b) the person before whom it is to be produced.

(4) The court before which a copy or extract is produced under subsection (2) may direct the officer to produce the original public document.

Note--: Section 182 of the Commonwealth Act gives section 156 of the Commonwealth Act a wider application in relation to Commonwealth records.