Trial Practice
Presentation
Rule 106 allows a party against whom a writing or recorded statement is introduced to require introduction of any other part that in fairness should be considered at the same time. The 2023 amendment extended it to oral statements and addressed hearsay.
Completeness applies contemporaneously.
Alternative Names:
Completeness Doctrine, Rule 106
Why it Matters?
The 2023 amendment resolved a longstanding split by providing that a completing portion is admissible over a hearsay objection, which had previously prevented completion in many courts. It also extended the rule to unrecorded oral statements. Those changes make completeness a more usable response to selective presentation of deposition excerpts and recorded statements than it previously was.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
What did the 2023 amendment change?
When does completeness apply?
