Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts – Kinds of Facts That May Be Judicially Noticed. The court may judicially notice a fact that is not subject to reasonable dispute because it:

• A. Facts generally known within the trial court's jurisdiction
• B. Facts not subject to reasonable dispute because they are generally known or can be determined from reliable sources
• C. Facts requiring expert testimony
• D. Facts within a witness's personal knowledge

Answer: (B)

Judicial notice of adjudicative facts allows a court to accept certain facts without formal evidence when they are not reasonably disputable. The best statement reflects that a fact may be noticed if it is not subject to reasonable dispute because it is either generally known within the trial court’s jurisdiction or can be determined from reliable sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned. This captures the two typical pathways: widely known facts within the jurisdiction, or facts easily and reliably verifiable from sources such as public records, statutes, or other trustworthy materials. It also aligns with why such facts may be admitted without evidence, saving time and avoiding disputes about routine matters like calendars, dates, or public records. Facts that require expert testimony or rely on a witness’s personal knowledge do not fit this approach, because they involve specialized reasoning or the individual witness’s memory rather than broadly verifiable information.