Opinion ID: 2086136
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Admission of Copies.

Text: In the present case the offering of the copies of the letters into evidence was for the purpose of showing that negotiations took place between appellant and respondents prior to the condemnation proceeding. The record shows that there is ample evidence upon which such a finding could be sustained; however, appellant contends that the allowance of the copies into evidence was reversible error. He testified at the trial that he received, or could have received, these letters but could not recall exactly what they said. When asked whether he had the originals he said that he had turned them over to previous attorneys not present in court. Prior to the trial, respondents did not employ sec. 327.22, Stats., for the purpose of having appellant admit or refuse to admit the existence of the letters in question. Sec. 327.22 (1) (a), (b) and (4) provides as follows: (1) Any party to any action may, by notice in writing served upon a party or his attorney at any time after an issue of fact is joined and not later than ten days before the trial, call upon such other party to admit or refuse to admit in writing: (a) The existence, due execution, correctness, validity, signing, sending or receiving of any document, or, (b) The existence of any specific fact or facts material in the action and stated in the notice. . . .  (4) In case of refusal to make such admission, the reasonable expense of proving any fact or document mentioned in the notice and not so admitted shall be determined by the court at the trial and taxed as costs in any event against the party so notified, unless the court is satisfied the refusal was reasonable. The failure to employ this section does not preclude the admission of documents, or their copies, into evidence. Documents may still be admitted under applicable rules of evidence, and copies may be admitted under the best-evidence rule if the proper circumstances exist and foundation laid. See Mack Trucks, Inc., v. Sunde (1963), 19 Wis. (2d) 129, 133, 134, 119 N. W. (2d) 321. The purpose of the best-evidence rule is to prevent fraud upon the trier of the fact, depriving it of the benefit of the original document. Shellow v. Hagen (1960), 9 Wis. (2d) 506, 516, 101 N. W. (2d) 694. The contents of a document may be proved by other means when the original is unavailable or for some other legitimate reason it is not possible or feasible to produce the original writing. Kubiak v. General Accident Fire & Life Assur. Corp. (1962), 15 Wis. (2d) 344, 350, 113 N. W. (2d) 46. Appellant contends that the case of Menasha Wooden Ware Co. v. Harmon (1906), 128 Wis. 177, 181, 107 N. W. 299, applies and that it was reversible error to allow the copies to be introduced when the originals were in existence although under control of another not present in court. In the Menasha Case, supra , the original letters were sent to the county clerk who still had them. Demand by him, by subpoena, could easily have produced the originals in court, but the failure to do this resulted in no proper foundation for the admission of them and the best-evidence rule did not apply. In the present case the originals were sent to appellant who stated that he had turned them over to prior attorneys not present in court. To have the trial delayed  for the mere purpose of producing the original letters when there is no real dispute as to their authenticity would serve no purpose useful to the court. Under those circumstances it is considered to be in the trial court's discretion to allow the copies into evidence. 4 Wigmore, Evidence (3d ed.), p. 334, sec. 1191. Therefore, it was not error for the trial court to permit the copies to be admitted. By the Court. Order affirmed.