Which item would be considered documentary evidence?

• A. A witness's oral testimony
• B. A juror's recollection
• C. Written records such as financial records, contracts, memos
• D. A video recording of the event

Answer: (C)

Documentary evidence consists of written records that document facts about a transaction or event. Written records like financial statements, contracts, and memos are the classic examples because they are created specifically to preserve information in a record form and can be produced and reviewed without relying on someone's memory. In landlord-tenant disputes, these documents (leases, rent receipts, correspondence, invoices) prove terms, payments, and obligations in a reliable, objective way.

In contrast, oral testimony comes from what a person says aloud and depends on memory and credibility; a juror’s recollection is also memory-based. A video recording does capture what happened, but it’s generally treated as real or demonstrative evidence rather than documentary records created in written form. That’s why written records are the best fit for documentary evidence in this context.