Opinion ID: 2632228
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 15

Heading: washington state population statistics

Text: (5) Whether the trial court erred in refusing to admit unauthenticated Washington State population statistics obtained from the Internet. Appellant contends the trial court erred in not admitting Washington State population statistics. [307] He claims the hard copy printout his counsel obtained from the Internet was a self-authenticating document admissible under ER 902(e). [308] The State argues the trial court did not err in excluding the document as hearsay not admissible under a recognized exception to the hearsay rule. [309] The evidentiary rulings of a trial court are reviewed for abuse of discretion. [310] Under ER 802, [h]earsay is not admissible except as provided by these rules, by other court rules, or by statute. Public records and reports qualify as an exception to the hearsay rule when duly certified by the respective officers having by law the custody thereof. [311] An unauthenticated printout obtained from the Internet does not meet the public records exception to the hearsay rule under RCW 5.44.040. Nor does it qualify as a self-authenticating document under ER 902(e). Appellant provides no authority to the contrary. The trial court did not abuse its discretion in sustaining the State's hearsay objection to the document.