Opinion ID: 1395057
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: ATI Documents

Text: Next, we must consider if the trial court erred in admitting certain ATI documents. The ATI documents consist of more than 7,000 pages, chiefly summarizing the proceedings of meetings of the ATI. The documents admitted by the trial court date from 1954 to 1971. They indicate that the asbestos industry was aware of the health hazards of asbestos products and was concerned with how it would be adversely affected by publicity about such dangers. Raymark argues that the ATI documents were not adequately authenticated and, therefore, the trial court should not have admitted them. The requirement of authentication is satisfied by evidence sufficient to support a finding that the matter in question is what its proponent claims. ER 901(a). Authenticity may be established by the testimony of a witness that the evidence is what it is claimed to be. ER 901(b)(1). To establish a foundation for admission of these documents, Lockwood relied on the deposition of Doris Fagan, the executive secretary of ATI beginning in 1973. Raymark argues that Fagan's deposition does not establish the authenticity of the documents because the admitted documents predated 1973. We believe, however, that Fagan's testimony was adequate to establish that the ATI documents were what they were claimed to be. Furthermore, Raymark has not presented any arguments raising serious questions about the genuineness of these documents. Therefore, we conclude that the documents were properly authenticated. [11]