Best Evidence Rule

The best evidence rule is a rule pertaining to “admissibility of evidence when the content of a document is in dispute.” Gochanour v. Gochanour, 2000 MT 156, ¶ 20, 300 Mont. 155, 4 P.3d 643.  The Montana Supreme Court leaves rulings on admissibility of evidence to the discretion of the district court, and only reviews those decisions for abuse of discretion.Watkins v. Willams, 265 Mont. 306, 311, 877 P.2d 19, 21–22 (1994).