In re the Estate of Birsten

OPINION OF THE COURT

Marie M. Lambert, S.

In this Public Administrator’s accounting, a hearing on the issue of kinship of alleged distributees has been concluded. Reserved for determination was the question of the admissibility of foreign documents not authenticated pursuant to CPLR 4542. Mr. Broydes, an attorney admitted to the Bars of New *346York and Warsaw, Poland, testified on behalf of the alleged distributees regarding the documents issued by the Polish Government.

Prior to the amendment of CPLR 4542 in 1969 (Fifteen Ann Report of NY Judicial Conference, 1970, pp A125, A126, eff Sept. 1,…