Which of the following is an example of documentary evidence?

• A. Gun
• B. Emails
• C. Witness statements
• D. Cell phone data

Answer: (B)

Documentary evidence is evidence presented in a written or recorded form that preserves information as a document. Emails fit this perfectly because they are written communications stored as a record with identifiable author, recipient, date, and content. They can be produced, authenticated, and examined in court just like any other document, making them a clear example of documentary evidence.

The other options don’t fit as examples of documentary evidence in the way emails do: a gun is a tangible object used as physical or real evidence; a witness statement is primarily testimony that conveys what a person says happened, not a document of information created to convey facts; cell phone data is digital information from a device and is typically treated as digital or electronic evidence, not a documentary document unless it’s presented in a written or printed document format.