# Fed. R. Evid. 201: Rule 201. Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts

> Federal · Court rules · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R201

## Section

- **Citation:** Fed. R. Evid. 201
- **Heading:** Rule 201. Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Court rules
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** Federal Rules of Evidence > Rule 201

## Text

(a) SCOPE. This rule governs judicial notice of an adjudicative fact only, not a legislative fact.

(b) KINDS OF FACTS THAT MAY BE JUDICIALLY NOTICED. The court may judicially notice a fact that is not subject to reasonable dispute because it: (1) is generally known within the trial court’s territorial jurisdiction; or (2) can be accurately and readily determined from sources whose accuracy cannot reasonably be questioned.

(c) TAKING NOTICE. The court: (1) may take judicial notice on its own; or (2) must take judicial notice if a party requests it and the court is supplied with the necessary information.

(d) TIMING. The court may take judicial notice at any stage of the proceeding.

(e) OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD. On timely request, a party is entitled to be heard on the propriety of taking judicial notice and the nature of the fact to be noticed. If the court takes judicial notice before notifying a party, the party, on request, is still entitled to be heard.

(f) INSTRUCTING THE JURY. In a civil case, the court must instruct the jury to accept the noticed fact as conclusive. In a criminal case, the court must instruct the jury that it may or may not accept the noticed fact as conclusive.

## Nearby sections

- [Fed. R. Evid. 101 Rule 101. Scope; Definitions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R101.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 102 Rule 102. Purpose](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R102.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 103 Rule 103. Rulings on Evidence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R103.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 104 Rule 104. Preliminary Questions](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R104.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 105 Rule 105. Limiting Evidence That Is Not Admissible Against Other](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R105.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 106 Rule 106. Remainder of or Related Statements](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R106.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 107 Rule 107. Illustrative Aids](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R107.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 201 Rule 201. Judicial Notice of Adjudicative Facts](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R201.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 301 Rule 301. Presumptions in Civil Cases Generally](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R301.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 302 Rule 302. Applying State Law to Presumptions in Civil Cases](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R302.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 401 Rule 401. Test for Relevant Evidence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R401.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 402 Rule 402. General Admissibility of Relevant Evidence](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R402.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 403 Rule 403. Excluding Relevant Evidence for Prejudice, Confusion, Waste of Time, or Other Reasons](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R403.md)
- [Fed. R. Evid. 404 Rule 404. Character Evidence; Other Crimes, Wrongs, or Acts](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R404.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/FRULES_FRE_R201. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.