Opinion ID: 1669598
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Letter Declining Coverage

Text: Royal also offered a letter it purportedly wrote to Crowne, dated November 16, 2001. The letter offered by Royal states that based upon the VAIL report, Royal concluded that Crowne's policy did not cover Crowne's loss. The letter referred to the Exclusions section of the policy, specifically the very provisions quoted earlier in this opinion. We must determine whether the letter declining coverage was authenticated. Again we look to Rule 901(b) and particularly the test of distinctive characteristics presented in subsection (b)(4). One distinctive characteristic is worthy of extended examination: Royal's letter denying coverage was written on company letterhead. This Court has never considered the authenticity of a document based upon whether it bore a letterhead. Other jurisdictions, however, have held that the fact that one's letterhead is found on a document either is an important characteristic suggesting authenticity, see, e.g., United States v. Hoag, 823 F.2d 1123, 1126 (7th Cir.1987)(cited in Charles W. Gamble, McElroy's Alabama Evidence § 319.01(8) (5th ed.1996)), or fully satisfies the authenticity requirement, see, e.g., Denison v. Swaco Geolograph, 941 F.2d 1416, 1423 (10th Cir.1991); S.E.C. v. Poirier, 140 F.Supp.2d 1033, 1039 n. 4 (D.Ariz.2001); Perez v. Alcoa Fujikura, Ltd., 969 F.Supp. 991, 998-99 (W.D.Tex.1997); State v. Clites, 73 Ohio App.3d 36, 40, 596 N.E.2d 550, 553 (1991). But see Orr v. Bank of America, 285 F.3d 764, 777 (9th Cir.2002)(letterhead insufficient to establish authenticity). We believe the first alternative is the better ruleespecially given the mention in Rule 901(b)(4) of other circumstancesand we today adopt the rule that the presence of a person's or company's letterhead on a document purportedly from that person or company is an important characteristic suggesting authenticity. The fact that the letter from Royal to Crowne was written on Royal's letterhead is thus an important characteristic but is not dispositive of the document's authenticity. In addition to being on letterhead, the letter notes the name of the insured, the policy number, and the date the loss was reported, and, importantly, recites the information communicated in the VAIL report. The one inconsistency mitigating against authenticity is that the letter offered by Royal is dated November 16, 2001, whereas the complaint states that the letter denying coverage was dated on or about November 6, 2001. However, Royal's letter to Crowne was based upon the VAIL report, which is dated November 8, 2001. To accept Crowne's contention that the letter was dated November 6, this Court would have to believe the impossible or attribute to Royal and VAIL some conspiracy that Crowne does not charge. Therefore, Royal has made a prima facie showing that the copy of the letter to Crowne it proffered was authentic; we hold that it should also be considered in determining whether Royal has made a showing of a meritorious defense.