Legal Definitions - business record

A business record is any document, report, or data that an organization creates and maintains as part of its routine, day-to-day operations. These records are generated in the normal course of running a business, not specifically in anticipation of a lawsuit. They provide an official account of a company's activities, transactions, or internal communications and can be legally requested as evidence in court cases.

Here are some examples illustrating what constitutes a business record:

• Example 1: A restaurant's daily inventory sheets.

  A restaurant regularly tracks its food supplies, noting what ingredients are received, used, and remaining. These daily inventory sheets are created as a standard part of managing the kitchen and ensuring adequate stock. They are not made because of a legal dispute, but rather to operate the business efficiently. If the restaurant were involved in a lawsuit concerning food spoilage or supply chain issues, these inventory sheets could be requested as business records to show when items were received and how they were managed.

• Example 2: An architectural firm's project progress reports.

  Throughout a building project, an architectural firm creates weekly reports detailing the progress, challenges encountered, and decisions made by the design team. These reports are a standard part of project management, used to keep stakeholders informed and ensure the project stays on track. Should a dispute arise with a client over project delays or design specifications, these progress reports would be considered business records, providing a contemporaneous account of the project's development and communications.

• Example 3: A hospital's patient billing statements.

  When a patient receives medical services, the hospital generates a detailed billing statement outlining the procedures performed, medications administered, and associated costs. This statement is a routine document created in the ordinary course of the hospital's financial operations to charge for services rendered. If there were a legal challenge regarding the cost of care or insurance claims, these billing statements would serve as business records, demonstrating the services provided and the amounts charged.