Is a photocopy of a document acceptable as evidence in court?

Generally, courts prefer and give greater weight to original documents, but a photocopy (secondary evidence) can be admitted in specific circumstances — particularly where you can satisfactorily explain why the original isn't available (lost, destroyed, or in the possession of someone who refuses to produce it), and the court is satisfied the copy is a genuine, accurate reproduction of the original.

You would typically need to file a specific application explaining the circumstances of the original's unavailability, and may need to provide additional supporting evidence — such as testimony from someone who saw the original document, or other corroborating evidence — to strengthen the case for admitting the photocopy in its place.

Given that courts do apply real scrutiny before accepting secondary evidence in place of an original, it's worth consulting a lawyer as early as possible about the best way to present your specific situation, and to see if there's any possibility of independently verifying the document's authenticity through the party or institution that originally issued it.