What does the doctrine of past recollection recorded allow a witness to do?

The doctrine of past recollection recorded allows a witness to incorporate the contents of a written document into their testimony when they have a lack of memory about specific events but had previously recorded those events in writing. This doctrine recognizes that while the witness may not be able to recall the details clearly due to time elapsed or other factors, the written record serves as reliable evidence of what was observed at the time.

This concept assumes that the document being referred to was made by the witness while the events were fresh in their mind, and it accurately reflects the witness's knowledge at that time. By allowing the witness to read or refer to this record during their testimony, the court can benefit from the preserved details that the witness may not be able to express from memory alone.

This option emphasizes the admissibility of the document’s content in a way that provides context and foundation for the witness’s testimony, allowing them to convey the necessary information more accurately to the court.