Public documents
156 Public documents
A document that purports to be a copy of, or an extract from or summary of, a public document and to have been:
sealed with the seal of a person who, or a body that, might reasonably be supposed to have the custody of the public document; or
certified as such a copy, extract or summary by a person who might reasonably be supposed to have custody of the public document;
is presumed, unless the contrary is proved, to be a copy of the public document, or an extract from or summary of the public document.
If an officer entrusted with the custody of a public document is required by a court to produce the public document, it is sufficient compliance with the requirement for the officer to produce a copy of, or extract from, the public document if it purports to be signed and certified by the officer as a true copy or extract.
It is sufficient production of a copy or extract for the purposes of subsection (2) if the officer sends it by prepaid post, or causes it to be delivered, to:
the proper officer of the court in which it is to be produced; or
the person before whom it is to be produced.
The court before which a copy or extract is produced under subsection (2) may direct the officer to produce the original public document.
Section 182 gives this section a wider application in relation to Commonwealth records.
The statute text is free to read above. View Pro plans to unlock the case-law research tools for each provision.