Wisconsin Statutes
Wis. Stat. § 889.08 (2026)
Copies, how certified, presumptions
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889.08(1)(1) Whenever a certified copy is allowed by law to be evidence, the copy shall be certified by the legal custodian of the original to have been compared by the custodian with the original, and to be a true copy thereof or a correct transcript therefrom, or to be a photograph of the original. The certificate must be under the custodian’s official seal or under the seal of the court, public body or board, whose custodian the custodian is, when the custodian, court, body or board is required to have or keep such seal.
889.08(2)(2) The executive officer, secretary or chief clerk of any state agency, and in agencies headed by one person, the head of the agency or his or her deputy, are, for the purposes of this section and s. 889.09, the legal custodians of the files and records of their agencies. In agencies having divisions, the heads of divisions are also legal custodians of the files and records of their divisions. “State agency” as used herein means the legislature, any officer, board, commission, department or bureau of the state government and the state historical society.
889.08(3)(3) Any certificate purporting to be signed, or signed and sealed, as authorized by law, shall be presumptive evidence that it was signed by the proper officer, and if sealed, that it has the proper seal affixed, except when the law requires an additional certificate of genuineness.
889.08(4)(4) The seal need not be affixed to a copy of a rule or order made by a court, or of any paper filed therein, when such copy is used in the same court or before any officer thereof.
889.08(5)(5) When a certified copy of any record, paper or instrument of any kind is made receivable in evidence such copy shall have the same effect as evidence as the original.
889.08 AnnotationWhen the defendant’s driving record was certified under s. 909.02 (1), the trial court erred in applying certification requirements under s. 889.08 (1). State v. Leis, 134 Wis. 2d 441, 397 N.W.2d 498 (Ct. App. 1986).
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 3
cases, 1986–2004 · leading case: State v. Smith, 2004 WI App 116, 685 N.W.2d 821.
State v. Smith, 2004 WI App 116, 685 N.W.2d 821. “07, in turn, provides that a certified copy of a document "shall be received with like effect as the original," while Wis. Stat. § 889.08 specifies in relevant part: (1) Whenever a certified copy is allowed by law to be evidence, the copy shall be certified by the legal…”
State v. Leis, 397 N.W.2d 498 (Wis. Ct. App. 1986). “The trial court erred in requiring that the record be certified in accordance with sec. 889.08, Stats. Section 889.08(1) provides that a certified copy “shall be certified by the legal custodian of the original to have been compared by him with the original, and to be a true…”
State v. Saunders, 2002 WI 119, 652 N.W.2d 391. “§ 889.08 provides in part as follows: (1) Whenever a certified copy is allowed by law to be evidence, the copy shall be certified by the legal custodian of the original to have been compared by the custodian with the original, and to be a true copy thereof or a correct…”
Wis. Stat. § 889.08(1): 1 case
State v. Leis, 397 N.W.2d 498 (Wis. Ct. App. 1986). “The trial court erred in requiring that the record be certified in accordance with sec. 889.08, Stats. Section 889.08(1) provides that a certified copy “shall be certified by the legal custodian of the original to have been compared by him with the original, and to be a true…”
Wis. Stat. § 889.08(3): 1 case
State v. Smith, 2004 WI App 116, 685 N.W.2d 821. “07, in turn, provides that a certified copy of a document "shall be received with like effect as the original," while Wis. Stat. § 889.08 specifies in relevant part: (1) Whenever a certified copy is allowed by law to be evidence, the copy shall be certified by the legal…”
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