Part Third: Other Documents

Article 158

1. Signed letters shall have the value of ordinary documents in terms of proof in favor of the addressee, unless the sender proves that he did not send the letter and did not commission anyone to send it. 2. Telegrams shall also have this value if the original is deposited in the post and telegraph office, signed by the sender. 3. A telegram shall be deemed to conform to its original until evidence is adduced to the contrary.

Article 159

If a letter is not confidential, the recipient may use it and assign it to a third party. A letter is not confidential in commercial matters.

Article 160

1. Private letters submitted to the court without the consent of the addressee shall not be considered in civil matters.

Article 161

1. If the receipt of a registered letter is acknowledged by a receipt from the post office or by a delivery slip from the sender, placed in the form of an open card or with the address written on the back of the letter itself, the sender may prove its contents by producing the copy preserved by him, and the copy shall be deemed authentic if the addressee refuses to produce the letter he received. 2. In all other cases, the burden of proving the contents of the letter shall be on the sender, in the event of denial by the addressee, in accordance with the general rules of evidence.

Article 162

Whoever obtains a judgment in accordance with the provisions of the preceding article based on the production of a copy of a letter, and then later the original appears and shows that the copy was incorrect, shall be ordered to pay compensation for the damage resulting from the judgment.

Article 163

1. Any statements written by the creditor indicating a clearance of debt on a bond in his possession, or on a copy of this bond, or on a receipt bond in the possession of the debtor, shall be considered, until proven otherwise, as evidence against the creditor to prove payment, even if such statements are not dated or signed.

Article 164

The debtor has the right to request, upon payment, in addition to the receipt, the delivery of the debt instrument or a declaration by the creditor in the receipt that the instrument is no longer in his possession.

Article 165

The books and family documents are evidence against their creator and their universal successors: 1- When they indicate the occurrence of a payment. 2- When they establish a debt to others.

Article 166

Mandatory commercial records are evidence: 1- Against their owner for the benefit of any person whether they are regularly kept or not. However, whoever seeks to derive evidence in their own favor cannot cherry-pick entries and exclude those contradicting their claim. 2-

Article 167

1. A supporting document for a previous document shall be deemed as evidence for whoever relies on it, unless the opponent proves the inaccuracy of this document by producing the original document or another written document the authenticity of which is established.

Article 168

The judge in a dispute between merchants may accept or reject, depending on the circumstances of the case, the evidence derived from non-compulsory commercial books or from unregulated compulsory commercial books.

Article 169

1. The registers of merchants shall not be deemed as evidence against non-merchants. However, the data recorded therein regarding the merchants' transactions may serve as a basis, authorizing the judge to direct a supplementary oath to either of the litigants with respect to matters that may be proven by testimony.