911 calls are often some of the most powerful pieces of evidence in a criminal case. They can capture events in real time, including a caller’s tone, emotions, and immediate reaction to an incident. But just because a 911 call exists does not mean it can automatically be used in court.

In a criminal trial, decisions are supposed to be based on evidence presented in court. However, there are limited situations where a judge can rely on facts that were not formally proven. This is known as judicial notice. Judicial notice allows a judge to accept certain facts without requiring evidence, but only in narrow circumstances. These are facts that are either widely known or can be easily verified using reliable sources. Problems arise when a judge goes beyond these