Digital evidence is stored in dematerialized magnetic form, which is not visible or readable. So a printout of the digital document is required as another step for admitting the same into evidence as testimony.
Technically another step required creates a new document which would not have been eligible for admission if the rules of evidence were strictly invoked as applied to traditional hard copy documents.
However, under the Federal Rules of Evidence any printout or readable output of data stored in a computer reflecting the original is deemed to be an ‘original’ and admissible in evidence if otherwise in order.
For the admission of digital evidence courts treat printouts of the same at par with the original.
