The 'original' of a writing or recording means the writing or recording itself or any counterpart intended to have the same effect by the person who executed or issued it.

• A. Rule 1001
• B. Rule 1002
• C. Rule 903
• D. Rule 1003

Answer: (C)

The central idea is what counts as the original under the evidence rules. The statement given is the exact definition of “original”: it means the writing or recording itself or any counterpart intended to have the same effect by the person who executed or issued it. This definition is the starting point for determining authenticity and for applying the best evidence rule (which deals with proving contents using originals or duplicates). The other rules cover related but different issues—how to prove contents, and how duplicates relate to the original—rather than defining what the original is. So the correct concept is the rule that provides the formal definition of “original.”