Authenticating evidence under Supreme Court Rule of Evidence 901 (effective Sept. 17, 2019) is an important step in demonstrating to a fact-finder that the evidence being presented is, indeed, what the proponent purports it to be.This is a first step in the process, and it can be confusing for judges and practitioners because authentication is often conflated with other rules and standards for admissibility (e.g. hearsay). Authentication — that is, foundation — merely demonstrates that the piece of evidence, the text …