Bill Text: IL SB2159 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that in an action concerning a motor vehicle accident in which a personal injury or property damage is in issue, a photograph of a motor vehicle or other property is deemed relevant and admissible into evidence if authenticated by a lay or occurrence witness with personal knowledge that the photograph accurately portrays the vehicle or property as it appeared before or after the accident. Provides that it is not necessary that an expert or opinion witness testify about the photograph's relevance or any correlation between the vehicular or property damage and the claimed injury which may have been caused by the incident which caused the property damage.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2015-01-13 - Session Sine Die [SB2159 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2013-SB2159-Introduced.html

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98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2013 and 2014 SB2159 Introduced 2/15/2013, by Sen. Jason A. Barickman SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
735 ILCS 5/Art. VIII Pt. 29 heading new
735 ILCS 5/8-2901 new
Amends the Code of Civil Procedure. Provides that in an action concerning a motor vehicle accident in which a personal injury or property damage is in issue, a photograph of a motor vehicle or other property is deemed relevant and admissible into evidence if authenticated by a lay or occurrence witness with personal knowledge that the photograph accurately portrays the vehicle or property as it appeared before or after the accident. Provides that it is not necessary that an expert or opinion witness testify about the photograph's relevance or any correlation between the vehicular or property damage and the claimed injury which may have been caused by the incident which caused the property damage.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning civil law.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Code of Civil Procedure is amended by adding
Part 29 to Article VIII as follows:
(735 ILCS 5/Art. VIII Pt. 29 heading new)
Part 29. Photographs
(735 ILCS 5/8-2901 new)
Sec. 8-2901. Admissibility of evidence; photographs. In
any action concerning a motor vehicle accident or occurrence
wherein personal injury or damage to property is in issue,
photographs of the motor vehicle or other property shall be
deemed relevant and shall be admissible into evidence upon
authentication by a lay or occurrence witness with personal
knowledge that the photograph truly and accurately portrays the
vehicle or other property as it appeared before or after the
motor vehicle accident or occurrence which is the subject of
the action. It is not necessary for admission of the photograph
into evidence that an expert or opinion witness testify as to
the relevance of the photograph or to the correlation between
the vehicular damage or other property damage and any claimed
personal injury which may have been caused by the accident or

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occurrence which caused damage to the motor vehicle or other
property.