▁as ▁evidence ▁in ▁court , ▁unless ▁the ▁def endant ▁test ifies . ▁When ▁an ▁out - of - court ▁statement ▁offered ▁as ▁evidence ▁contains ▁another ▁out - of - court ▁statement ▁it ▁is ▁called ▁double ▁he ars ay , ▁and ▁both ▁layers ▁of ▁he ars ay ▁must ▁be ▁found ▁separately ▁adm iss ible . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁several ▁exceptions ▁to ▁the ▁rule ▁against ▁he ars ay ▁in ▁U . S . ▁law . ▁Federal ▁Rule ▁of ▁Ev idence ▁ 8 0 3 ▁lists ▁the ▁following : ▁ ▁Stat ement ▁against ▁interest ▁ ▁Pres ent ▁sense ▁impress ions ▁and ▁Ex c ited ▁utter ances ▁ ▁Then ▁existing ▁mental , ▁emot ional , ▁or ▁physical ▁condition ▁▁ ▁Medical ▁diagn osis ▁or ▁treatment ▁ ▁Record ed ▁re collection ▁ ▁Records ▁of ▁regularly ▁conducted ▁activity ▁ ▁Public ▁records ▁and ▁reports , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁absence ▁of ▁entry ▁in ▁records ▁ ▁Records ▁of ▁vital ▁statistics ▁ ▁Abs ence ▁of ▁public ▁record ▁or ▁entry ▁ ▁Records ▁of ▁religious ▁organizations ▁ ▁Mar riage , ▁bapt ism al , ▁and ▁similar ▁certific ates , ▁and ▁Family ▁and ▁Property ▁records ▁ ▁Stat ements ▁in ▁documents ▁affect ing ▁an ▁interest ▁in ▁property ▁ ▁Stat ements ▁in ▁ancient ▁documents ▁the ▁authentic ity ▁of ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁established . ▁ ▁Market ▁reports , ▁commercial ▁publications ▁ ▁Lear ned ▁treat ises ▁ ▁Re putation ▁concerning ▁personal ▁or ▁family ▁history , ▁boundaries , ▁or ▁general ▁history , ▁or ▁as ▁to ▁character ▁ ▁Jud gment ▁of ▁previous ▁conv iction , ▁and ▁as ▁to ▁personal , ▁family ▁or ▁general