Short answer. The court can examine it directly. Rule 130, Section 1 defines objects as evidence addressed to the senses of the court, and provides that when an object is relevant to the fact in issue, it may be exhibited to, examined, or viewed by the court — not only described through testimony.
What the law says
Objects as evidence are those addressed to the senses of the court.
Rule 130, Section 1 — Object as evidence. Read the full provision →
What the law says
When an object is relevant to the fact in issue, it may be exhibited to, examined or viewed by the court.
Rule 130, Section 1 — Object as evidence. Read the full provision →
What makes something 'object evidence'
Section 1 defines object evidence by how it is perceived: it is evidence addressed to the senses of the court, as distinguished from testimonial evidence, which reaches the court through a witness's spoken account, or documentary evidence, which reaches it through written content. It stands apart from testimonial evidence, which reaches the court through what a witness says, and documentary evidence, which reaches it through written or recorded content. A weapon, a photograph of an injury, or a damaged item can all qualify as object evidence once they are presented for the court's own perception.
Relevance opens the door to direct examination
Once an object is shown to be relevant to the fact in issue, Section 1 allows it to be exhibited to, examined, or viewed by the court directly. The court is not limited to hearing a witness's description of the object — the object itself can be brought before the court's own senses. The court is not confined to a witness's secondhand account of what the object looks like; it may instead observe the object's relevant features itself, whether that means inspecting a weapon, examining a document's physical condition, or viewing a damaged item firsthand.
Why direct perception can matter
Allowing the court to exhibit, examine, or view the object itself can be more persuasive and accurate than relying solely on secondhand description, since the fact-finder forms its own impression of the physical item rather than depending entirely on a witness's interpretation of what it looks or feels like. This is part of why physical exhibits — weapons, damaged property, and similar items — are often introduced and shown to the court directly rather than merely described, letting the judge draw independent conclusions from what is actually seen. This provision binds how the court may receive the object, not whether it is authentic or genuinely connected to the case; a party still has to establish that the object being exhibited is the actual item relevant to the facts in issue before the court's direct examination of it carries any evidentiary weight.