Is a recording admissible in court?

Having a recording and being able to use it are two different things. Courts don't accept audio automatically — it generally has to clear a few hurdles. Here's the plain- English version.

The three things that usually matter

Was it made legally? A recording obtained in violation of consent/wiretap law can be excluded — and can expose you to liability. Check your local rule first (recording-law guides).
Is it authentic? You typically have to show the recording is what you say it is: the real conversation, unaltered. This is where a lot of audio falls apart — the other side argues it was edited, spliced, or taken out of context.
Is it relevant, and not barred by another rule (hearsay, privilege, unfair prejudice)? A lawyer handles these.

Authenticity is the part you can control up front

You can't decide admissibility yourself — a judge does — but you can make the authenticity question easy to answer by capturing the recording well:

Record the whole thing, not a snippet.
Anchor when it happened with a trustworthy timestamp.
Be able to show it wasn't edited. This is exactly what Vocert is built for: every recording is sealed with a tamper-evident hash chain and a signed, timestamped receipt, and anyone — including the other side — can verify it in a browser. If a single byte changed, verification fails. That turns "prove it's real" from a fight into a check.

Practical checklist

Made lawfully for your jurisdiction ✔
Original preserved, unedited ✔
Timestamp + a way to prove integrity ✔
Notes on date, place, participants ✔
A lawyer to handle relevance/hearsay/privilege ✔

FAQ

Can I use a secret recording in court? Sometimes — it depends heavily on whether it was legal to make and on the court's rules. Get legal advice.

What gets a recording thrown out? Illegality, and doubts about authenticity, are the big ones.

How do I prove a recording wasn't edited? Preserve the original and use tamper- evident capture that can be independently verified (that's what Vocert provides).

General information, not legal advice. Rules of evidence and recording laws vary by jurisdiction and change over time — consult a qualified lawyer about your specific situation.