reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
AL Code § 12-21-12 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 1 - Generally.|Section 12-21-12 - Proof by Substantial Evidence Required; Scintilla Rule Abolished; Higher Standard of Proof; Substantial Evidence Defined; Application.

Section 12-21-12Proof by substantial evidence required; scintilla rule abolished; higher standard of proof; substantial evidence defined; application. (a) In all civil actions brought in any court of the State of Alabama, proof by substantial evidence shall be required to submit an issue of fact to the trier of the facts. Proof by substantial evidence shall be required for purposes of testing the sufficiency of the evidence to support an issue of fact in rulings by the court, including without limitation, motions for summary judgment, motions for directed verdict, motions for judgment notwithstanding the verdict, and other such motions or pleadings respecting the sufficiency of evidence. (b) The scintilla rule of evidence is hereby abolished in all civil actions in the courts of the State of Alabama. (c) With respect to any issue of fact for which a higher standard of proof is required, whether by statute, or by rule or decision of the courts of the state, substantial evidence shall not be sufficient to carry the burden of proof, and such higher standard of proof shall be required with respect to such issue of fact. (d) Substantial evidence shall mean evidence of such quality and weight that reasonable and fair-minded persons in the exercise of impartial judgment might reach different conclusions as to the existence of the fact sought to be proven. A scintilla of evidence is insufficient to permit submission of an issue of fact to the trier of facts. (e) This section shall not apply to any civil action pending in the courts of this state on June 11, 1987. (Acts 1987, No. 87-184, p. 249, §§1-4, 6.)
AL Code § 12-21-13 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 1 - Generally.|Section 12-21-13 - Physical Evidence Not Precluded From Jury or Court Because of Break in Chain of Custody.

Section 12-21-13Physical evidence not precluded from jury or court because of break in chain of custody. Physical evidence connected with or collected in the investigation of a crime shall not be excluded from consideration by a jury or court due to a failure to prove the chain of custody of the evidence. Whenever a witness in a criminal trial identifies a physical piece of evidence connected with or collected in the investigation of a crime, the evidence shall be submitted to the jury or court for whatever weight the jury or court may deem proper. The trial court in its charge to the jury shall explain any break in the chain of custody concerning the physical evidence. (Acts 1995, No. 95-741, p. 1686, §1.)
AL Code § 12-21-30 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-30 - Declarations of Deceased Persons as to Ancient Rights.

Section 12-21-30Declarations of deceased persons as to ancient rights. Hearsay evidence as to declarations of deceased persons as to ancient rights made before the litigation arose are admissible to prove matters of public interest in which the whole community are supposed to take interest and have knowledge. (Code 1907, §3961; Code 1923, §7657; Code 1940, T. 7, §368.)
AL Code § 12-21-31 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-31 - Written Settlements for Composition of Debts.

Section 12-21-31Written settlements for composition of debts. All settlements in writing made in good faith for the composition of debts must be taken as evidence and held to operate according to the intention of the parties though no release under seal is given and no new consideration has passed. (Code 1852, §2283; Code 1867, §2686; Code 1876, §3040; Code 1886, §2775; Code 1896, §1806; Code 1907, §3974; Code 1923, §7670; Code 1940, T. 7, §382.)
AL Code § 12-21-32 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-32 - Books of Account Kept by Deceased Executor, Etc.

Section 12-21-32Books of account kept by deceased executor, etc. Books of account kept by a deceased executor, administrator, guardian or trustee or entries or memoranda made by him in the course of business or duty are admissible evidence; and, if such book or memoranda is lost, a copy thereof, supported by the oath of the person making it, is admissible evidence. (Code 1876, §3054; Code 1886, §2778; Code 1896, §1809; Code 1907, §3976; Code 1923, §7672; Code 1940, T. 7, §384.)
AL Code § 12-21-33 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-33 - Parol to Show Writing Void.

Section 12-21-33Parol to show writing void. Parol evidence is admissible to show that a writing was originally void or has subsequently become so. (Code 1907, §3963; Code 1923, §7659; Code 1940, T. 7, §371.)
AL Code § 12-21-34 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-34 - Certificate of Public Officer on Nonexistence of Record or Entry of Such.

Section 12-21-34Certificate of public officer on nonexistence of record or entry of such. The certificate of any public officer or his deputy that he has made diligent search of the registers, books, papers and records in his office and that no record or entry of a specified tenor was found to exist shall be competent evidence as to the nonexistence of such record or entry. Such certificate shall be proved or admitted as prima facie evidence in all courts and tribunals in this state by the attestation of such officer or his deputy under the seal of his office, if any, that the same is true, and if there is no seal, there shall be attached to such attestation the certificate of the clerk and the seal of the circuit or district court of the county where such officer resides that such attestation is genuine. (Acts 1953, No. 277, p. 342.)
AL Code § 12-21-35 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-35 - Certified Transcripts of Official Governmental Books, etc.; Duty to Furnish.

Section 12-21-35Certified transcripts of official governmental books, etc.; duty to furnish. (a) All transcripts of books or papers, or parts thereof, required by law to be kept in the office, custody or control of any public officer, agent, servant or employee of any municipality, city or county of the State of Alabama or of the United States, when certified by the proper custodian thereof, must be received in evidence in all courts, and it is no objection to such transcript that the book from which it is taken is a copy of office books belonging to the United States. All such officers under jurisdiction and laws of the State of Alabama and counties and cities therein shall furnish all such transcripts of any documents, official books and papers in their possession, custody or control when requested so to do by any person, firm or corporation tendering to such officer or custodian of such records the proper amount of fees and charges required or necessary to pay for the making of such transcripts. (b) Any person violating subsection (a) of this section as to furnishing transcripts of books, papers or parts thereof required by law to be copied by them shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00 and may be sentenced to hard labor for the county for not more than 12 months, one or both, at the discretion of the court trying the same. (Code 1867, §2697; Code 1876, §3049; Code 1886, §2785; Code 1896, §1816; Code 1907, §3983; Acts 1921, Ex. Sess., No. 41, p. 52; Code 1923, §§5031, 7681; Code 1940, T. 7, §§393, 394.)
AL Code § 12-21-36 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-36 - Certified Copies of Surveyor General's Books, Etc.

Section 12-21-36Certified copies of surveyor general's books, etc. The books, maps and field notes of the surveyor general of the United States for the State of Alabama deposited in the office of the Secretary of State are public archives of the state; and the Secretary of State must, upon the application of any person, furnish certified copies, which must be received in evidence in any court. (Code 1867, §2696; Code 1876, §3048; Code 1886, §2784; Code 1896, §1815; Code 1907, §3982; Code 1923, §7680; Code 1940, T. 7, §392.)
AL Code § 12-21-37 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-37 - Private Legislative Acts.

Section 12-21-37Private legislative acts. All private acts of the legislature of this or any other state of the United States may be given in evidence without being specially pleaded. (Code 1852, §2296; Code 1867, §2698; Code 1876, §3051; Code 1886, §2789; Code 1896, §1820; Code 1907, §3987; Code 1923, §7685; Code 1940, T. 7, §398.)
AL Code § 12-21-38 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-38 - Copies of Proceedings and Judgments of Foreign Courts Not of Record.

Section 12-21-38Copies of proceedings and judgments of foreign courts not of record. Copies of the proceedings and judgments of any court not of record of any state or territory in the United States or of the District of Columbia, certified by the judge or judges, under his or their hands and seals, before whom the proceedings were had or judgments rendered or their successors in office, or other judges having legal custody thereof, that the same are true and complete copies of the proceedings or judgments, with the certificate of the clerk or prothonotary of any court of record of the county or district where said judge or judges shall hold his or their office or offices, certifying, under the seal of said court, that the judge or judges were, at the time when the proceedings were had or judgments rendered and when the copy was taken, duly commissioned and qualified to act as such, shall be admissible as evidence in any of the courts of this state. (Code 1923, §7708; Code 1940, T. 7, §422.)
AL Code § 12-21-39 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-39 - Handwriting - Evidence for Comparison.

Section 12-21-39Handwriting - Evidence for comparison. In any proceeding before a court or judicial officer of the state where the genuineness of the handwriting of any person may be involved, any admitted or proved handwriting of such person shall be competent evidence as a basis for comparison by witnesses or by the jury, court or officer conducting such proceeding to prove or disprove such genuineness. (Code 1923, §7707; Code 1940, T. 7, §420.)
AL Code § 12-21-40 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-40 - Handwriting - Comparison of Disputed Writing With Genuine.

Section 12-21-40Handwriting - Comparison of disputed writing with genuine. Comparison of a disputed writing with any writing admitted to be genuine or proven to the reasonable satisfaction of the court to be genuine shall be permitted to be made by witnesses who are qualified as experts or who are familiar with the handwriting of the person whose handwriting is in question, and such writings and the evidence of witnesses respecting the same may be submitted to the court or jury trying the case as evidence of the genuineness or otherwise of the writings in dispute. (Acts 1915, No. 90, p. 134; Code 1923, §7705; Code 1940, T. 7, §421.)
AL Code § 12-21-41 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-41 - Evidence of Title to Lands.

Section 12-21-41Evidence of title to lands. Copies of the field notes of the original government surveys of lands or other evidences of title to lands furnished by the Secretary of State or by the United States, or any department thereof, to the probate judge, when certified by such judge, are admissible in evidence. (Code 1876, §3050; Code 1886, §2786; Code 1896, §1817; Code 1907, §3984; Code 1923, §7682; Code 1940, T. 7, §395.)
AL Code § 12-21-42 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-42 - Books of Account as Proof of Accounts.

Section 12-21-42Books of account as proof of accounts. The books of account of any manufacturer, merchant, shopkeeper, physician or other person doing a regular business and keeping daily entries thereof may be admitted in evidence as proof of such accounts upon the following conditions: (1) That he kept no clerk, or else the clerk is dead or otherwise inaccessible or for any other reason the clerk is disqualified from testifying; (2) Upon proof, the party's oath being sufficient, that the book tendered is his book of original entries; (3) When any party or interested person, manager or other official of any association or company testifies to his or their account book and the items therein contained, that the same is a book of original entries and that the entries therein are true and just and were made by himself or his employee, deceased or living, in the usual course of trade and of his duty or employment to the party so testifying; thereupon the said account book and entries shall be admitted as prima facie evidence in the case upon the matters as shown by said account book; (4) When, in any mercantile business, sales are regularly entered on charge tickets by the salesman making such sales, whence they are regularly transcribed to a day book or ledger as the first permanent memorial thereof, the testimony of the clerk or bookkeeper, who has transcribed such entries, that they were correctly transcribed by him, in due course of business, from the original tickets which came to him in due course from said salesman, shall render such entries in a day book or ledger prima facie evidence of the sale and delivery of such articles to the person charged therewith; and (5) In case of the loss or destruction of the book of original entries, a ledger upon which such entries have been transcribed in due course of business shall be admissible as secondary evidence of the entries in the original book, upon the testimony of the clerk or bookkeeper making the same that they were correctly transcribed. (Code 1907, §4003; Code 1923, §7701; Code 1940, T. 7, §414.)
AL Code § 12-21-43 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-43 - Writings or Records Made in Regular Course of Business - Originals.

Section 12-21-43Writings or records made in regular course of business - Originals. Any writing or record, whether in the form of an entry in a book or otherwise, made as a memorandum or record of any act, transaction, occurrence or event, shall be admissible in evidence in proof of said act, transaction or event if it was made in the regular course of any business and it was the regular course of the business to make such memorandum or record at the time of such act, transaction, occurrence or event, or within a reasonable time thereafter. All other circumstances of the making of such writing or record, including lack of personal knowledge by the entrant or maker, may be shown to affect its weight, but they shall not affect its admissibility. The term, "business" shall include a business, profession, occupation and calling of every kind. (Code 1940, T. 7, §415.)
AL Code § 12-21-45 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 2 - Competency and Admissibility.|Section 12-21-45 - Evidence That Medical or Hospital Expenses to Be Paid or Reimbursed Admissible as Competent Evidence.

Section 12-21-45Evidence that medical or hospital expenses to be paid or reimbursed admissible as competent evidence. (a) In all civil actions where damages for any medical or hospital expenses are claimed and are legally recoverable for personal injury or death, evidence that the plaintiff's medical or hospital expenses have been or will be paid or reimbursed shall be admissible as competent evidence. In such actions upon admission of evidence respecting reimbursement or payment of medical or hospital expenses, the plaintiff shall be entitled to introduce evidence of the cost of obtaining reimbursement or payment of medical or hospital expenses. (b) In such civil actions, information respecting such reimbursement or payment obtained or such reimbursement or payment which may be obtained by the plaintiff for medical or hospital expenses shall be subject to discovery. (c) Upon proof by the plaintiff to the court that the plaintiff is obligated to repay the medical or hospital expenses which have been or will be paid or reimbursed, evidence relating to such reimbursement or payment shall be admissible. (d) This section shall not apply to any civil action pending on June 11, 1987. (Acts 1987, No. 87-187, p. 258, §§1-3, 6.)
AL Code § 12-21-60 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 3 - Authentication of Documents, Proof of Facts, Etc.|Section 12-21-60 - Proof of Written Instrument's Execution by Maker.

Section 12-21-60Proof of written instrument's execution by maker. The execution of any instrument of writing attested by witnesses may be proved by the testimony of the maker thereof, without producing or accounting for the absence of attesting witnesses. (Code 1896, §1797; Code 1907, §4006; Code 1923, §7704; Code 1940, T. 7, §418.)
AL Code § 12-21-61 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 3 - Authentication of Documents, Proof of Facts, Etc.|Section 12-21-61 - Subscribing Witnesses - When Must Be Produced.

Section 12-21-61Subscribing witnesses - When must be produced. The subscribing witness to prove execution of private documents must be produced in all cases except the following, unless otherwise specially provided: (1) Ancient writings which prove themselves; (2) If from any cause the witness cannot be produced or sworn; (3) Official bonds required by law to be approved or tested by a particular functionary; (4) If the paper is only incidentally or collaterally material to the case; (5) If the party executing the written instrument testifies to its execution; or (6) If the document is self-proving or properly acknowledged. (Code 1907, §4004; Code 1923, §7702; Code 1940, T. 7, §416.)
AL Code § 12-21-62 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 3 - Authentication of Documents, Proof of Facts, Etc.|Section 12-21-62 - Subscribing Witnesses - Proof of Execution When Dead, Etc.

Section 12-21-62Subscribing witnesses - Proof of execution when dead, etc. Whenever the subscribing witnesses to an instrument in writing are dead, insane, incompetent or are without the state or their residence is unknown or, being produced, they do not recollect the transaction, then proof of the actual signing by, or of the handwriting of, the alleged maker or subscribing witness shall be received as primary evidence of the fact of execution; and, if such evidence is not attainable, the court may admit evidence of the handwriting of the subscribing witnesses or other secondary evidence to establish such fact of execution. (Code 1907, §4005; Code 1923, §7703; Code 1940, T. 7, §417.)
AL Code § 12-21-63 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 3 - Authentication of Documents, Proof of Facts, Etc.|Section 12-21-63 - Accounting for Alteration in Writing Introduced as Genuine.

Section 12-21-63Accounting for alteration in writing introduced as genuine. The party producing a writing as genuine which has been altered or appears to have been altered after its execution in a part material to the question in dispute must account for the appearance or alteration. He may show that the alteration was made by another, without his concurrence, or was made with the consent of the parties affected by it, or otherwise properly or innocently made or that the alteration did not change the meaning of the language of the instrument. If he does that, he may give the writing in evidence, but not otherwise. (Code 1923, §7717; Code 1940, T. 7, §430.)
AL Code § 12-21-64 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 3 - Authentication of Documents, Proof of Facts, Etc.|Section 12-21-64 - Proof of Laws of Foreign Countries.

Section 12-21-64Proof of laws of foreign countries. The existence and tenor or effect of the laws of any foreign country may be proved as facts by parol evidence, but if it shall appear that the law in question is contained in a written statute or code, the court may, in its discretion, reject any evidence of such law which is not accompanied by a copy thereof. (Code 1923, §7711; Code 1940, T. 7, §425.)
AL Code § 12-21-65 (2021)
2021 Code of Alabama|Title 12 - Courts.|Chapter 21 - Evidence and Witnesses.|Article 1 - General Provisions.|Division 1 - Evidence.|Division 3 - Authentication of Documents, Proof of Facts, Etc.|Section 12-21-65 - Proof of Unwritten or Common Law of Other States and Territories.

Section 12-21-65Proof of unwritten or common law of other states and territories. The unwritten or common law of any other state of the United States, or of the territories thereof, may be proved as facts by parol evidence, and the books of reports of cases adjudged in the respective states purporting to be the official reports thereof or to have been published under the authority of the state or as a part of the national reporter system or of any universally accepted system of reports of decided cases and the works of commentators of recognized authority on the law of the particular state involved may also be admitted in evidence in proof of such unwritten or common law. (Code 1923, §7710; Code 1940, T. 7, §424; Acts 1959, No. 105, p. 590, §1.)