LAWS OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

THE DOCUMENTARY EVIDENCE ACT 1882

(45 & 46 Vict. c. 9)

An Act to amend the Documentary Evidence Act, 1868, and other enactments relating to the evidence of documents by means of copies printed by the Government Printers

[19th June 1882]

Documentary Evidence Acts 1868 to 1895. For the Acts, including this Act, which may be cited together by this collective title, see the Introductory Note to the Documentary Evidence Act 1868, p. 841, ante.
Evidence Acts 1806 to 1895. For the Acts, including this Act, which may be cited together by this collective title, see the Introductory Note to the Witnesses Act 1806, p. 802, ante.
Northern Ireland. This Act applies; see s. 4, post. In s. 3 the words "with or without hard labour" were repealed by the Criminal Justice Act (Northern Ireland) 1953, s. 1(2) (not printed in this work). Note also as to the abolition of distinctions between felony and misdemeanour and replacement of penal servitude by imprisonment, the Introductory Note to the Documentary Evidence Act 1868, p. 841, ante.
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1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the Documentary Evidence Act, 1882.

2. Documents printed under superintendence of Stationery Office receivable in evidence

Where any enactment, whether passed before or after the passing of this Act, provides that a copy of any Act of Parliament, proclamation, order, regulation, rule, warrant, circular, list, gazette, or document shall be conclusive evidence, or be evidence, or have any other effect, when purporting to be printed by the Government Printer, or the Queen's Printer, or a printer authorised by Her .Majesty, or otherwise under Her Majesty's authority, whatever may be the precise expression used, such copy shall also be conclusive evidence, or evidence, or have the said effect (as the case may be) if it purports to be printed under the superintendence or authority of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

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NOTE
Any enactment, etc. See the Documentary Evidence Act 1868, s. 2 and Schedule, pp. 841, 844, ante, and the notes thereto.
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3. Penalty for forgery

If any person prints any copy of any Act, proclamation, order, regulation, royal warrant, circular, list, gazette, or document which falsely purports to have been printed under the superintendence or authority of Her Majesty's Stationery Office, or tenders in evidence any copy which falsely purports to have been printed as aforesaid, knowing that the same was not so printed, he shall be guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction be liable to penal servitude for a term not exceeding seven years, or to be imprisoned for a term not exceeding two years, with or without hard labour.

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NOTES
Felony; penal servitude. See the notes to the Documentary Evidence Act 1868, s. 4, p. 843, ante.
Northern Ireland. See the Introductory Note to this Act.
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4. Application of Act to Ireland

The Documentary Evidence Act, 1868, as amended by this Act, shall apply to proclamations, orders, and regulations issued by the Lord Lieutenant, either alone or acting with the advice of the Privy Council in Ireland, as fully as it applies to proclamations, orders, and regulations issued by Her Majesty.

In the same Act, the term "the Privy Council" shall include the Privy Council in Ireland, or any committee thereof.

In the same Act, and in this Act, the term "the Government Printer" shall include any printer to Her Majesty in Ireland and any printer printing in Ireland under the superintendence or authority of Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

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NOTES
Lord Lieutenant. By the Irish Free State (Consequential Provisions) Act 1922 (Session 2), Sch. 1, para. 1(1), Vol. 23, title Northern Ireland, the reference to the Lord Lieutenant is to be construed as a reference to the Governor of Northern Ireland.
Documentary Evidence Act 1868. See p. 841, ante.
Northern Ireland. See now the Ministries of Northern Ireland Act 1921, the Statutory Rules Act (Northern Ireland) 1958, s. 8; and the Government of Ireland (Adaptation of Enactments) (No. 3) Order 1922, S.R. & O. 1922 No. 183, art. 38(2).

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