A duplicate of a writing is sometimes admissible to the same extent as an original writing to prove the contents of the original, but this exception for a duplicate is inapplicable if there is a genuine dispute about the authenticity of the original writing.

Iberian Tankers Co. v. Gates Construction Corp., 388 F. Supp. 1190, 1192 (S.D.N.Y. 1975) (holding, in plaintiff tanker company's negligence action against defendant, that evidence of settlement discussions was admissible to explain that "defendant....Although settlement negotiations and offers are inadmissible (i) to show the validity or invalidity of a claim when validity is in dispute, (ii) to show the amount of damages when the amount is in dispute, or (iii) to impeach by showing a prior inconsistent statement or specific contradiction, settlement evidence is admissible if it is offered on the issue of costs or wen it is offered to counter a claim of undue delay.

Cf. Brazos River Authority v. GE Ionics, Inc., 469 F.3d 416, 426 (5th Cir. 2006) (upholding trial court's exclusion of evidence of similar fires at other facilities because "the propensities of a particular person to act a certain way are not at issue in this case, which involves the properties and...The prohibition against circumstantial use of character -- the use of character, propensity, or disposition to show conduct on a particular occasion -- is inapplicable in trials of civil actions.

Estelle v. McGuire, 502 U.S. 62, 69 (1991) ("The prosecution must prove all the elements of a criminal offense beyond a reasonable doubt.").The prosecution must establish each essential element of a criminal offense beyond a reasonable doubt.