Rule 1006 requires what action regarding originals or duplicates when using summaries?

• A. The proponent must make originals or duplicates available for examination or copying by other parties at a reasonable time and place
• B. Originals must be kept secret
• C. Duplicates are never allowed
• D. The court must order production

Answer: (A)

When you use a summary under Rule 1006, you can prove the content of voluminous writings without bringing every page to court, but the other side has a right to verify what you’re summarizing. The rule requires that originals or duplicates of those writings be available for examination or copying by the other parties at a reasonable time and place. This ensures the summary isn’t just taken at face value and that the opposing side can check the underlying materials to confirm accuracy.

In practice, you might present a concise financial summary or chart derived from thousands of pages, but the opposing party can inspect the actual originals or copies at a reasonable location and timeframe to verify the summary’s correctness. The option that originals must be kept secret, or that duplicates are never allowed, or that the court must order production, doesn’t align with this fairness-and-efficiency balance.