Rule GR 20 - Security in Handling Court Exhibits(a) Hazardous, Valuable, and Bulky Exhibits. Upon petition of the clerk or any party and order of the court, a hazardous exhibit, money, an item of negotiable value, or an item deemed to be excessively bulky may be admitted and then withdrawn upon the substitution of photograph(s), videotape(s), samples or other facsimile representations as provided by the order. The photograph(s), videotape(s), samples or other facsimile representations may be used to demonstrate the existence, quantity, and physical characteristic of the evidence. The order shall direct the disposition of the original evidence and shall state whether the evidence shall be further documented by a descriptive certificate issued by an authorized agency.(b) Controlled Substances. When controlled substances or samples thereof are presented in court, such items shall be presented under sealed evidence tape in containers whose labels describe their contents. Sealed controlled substances presented as exhibits shall be unsealed in open court and, upon completion of the action for which unsealing was ordered, the item shall be sealed again.(c) Original Exhibit. When a photograph, videotape, or other facsimile representation is substituted, the original exhibit must be retained by the presenting party or agency until at least sixty (60) days following case completion and must produce the original exhibit upon the court's direction. Case completion is defined as the date of filing of the judgment of acquittal, final judgment, or dismissal, or the date the judgment becomes final after appeal.(d) Appeal. Exhibits handled under these rules shall have the same standing for purposes of appeal as would the original exhibits.(e) Hazardous Exhibits. For purposes of this rule, "hazardous exhibit" means an exhibit that unreasonably threatens the health and safety of persons handling the exhibit, including exhibits having potentially toxic, explosive, or disease-carrying characteristics. Nonexclusive examples of hazardous exhibits include firearms, knives and other weapons, live ammunition, controlled substances, bodily fluid samples, and bloody clothing.Adopted effective 9/1/1997; Amended effective 9/1/2000.