chain of custody
Documentation of possession
Chain of custody is the documented trail showing who has handled a piece of evidence and when.
In legal contexts, maintaining an unbroken chain of custody proves that evidence hasn't been tampered with or contaminated: The defense argued the chain of custody was compromised.
The term extends to any situation requiring proof of continuous, accountable possession—pharmaceuticals, valuable goods, or sensitive documents.
Facts supporting truth
- forensicPertaining to legal investigation
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
- authenticationConfirming genuine identity
admissibility · testimony · witness · protocol · seizure · prosecution · defense · court
Gathered set of items
- preservationMaintaining something's condition
- handlingTreatment or management
- storageSpace for keeping goods
- transferMove between locations
record · log · continuity · examination · analysis · tracking · receipt · signature
Descriptive information about content
- hashChopped mixture, cooked together
- encryptionConverting data into code
- audit trailChronological record of transactions
- access logFile tracking visitor activity
blockchain · verification · authentication · backup · imaging · checksum · time-stamp · e-discovery
evidence
Facts supporting truth
- forensicPertaining to legal investigation
- exhibitItem publicly displayed
- documentationWritten proof or instructions
authentication · admissibility · testimony · witness · protocol · seizure · prosecution · defense · court · trial
collection
Gathered set of items
- preservationMaintaining something's condition
- handlingTreatment or management
- storageSpace for keeping goods
transfer · record · log · continuity · examination · analysis · tracking · receipt · signature · timestamp
metadata
Descriptive information about content
- hashChopped mixture, cooked together
- encryptionConverting data into code
- audit trailChronological record of transactions
access log · blockchain · verification · authentication · backup · imaging · checksum · time-stamp · e-discovery
- documentsdocument, news, email, report, letter
- policingpatrol, police powers, arrests, police officer, arrest
- evidenceevidence, evidence bag, circumstantial evidence, proof, admissible
- investigationinvestigation, detective, evidence, clue, case
- criminal lawcrime, felony, misdemeanor, murder, robbery
- forensicsDNA, DNA analysis, fingerprints, forensics, criminalistics
chain of custodyhearsay
Unverified secondhand information
tainted evidence · inadmissible evidence · circumstantial evidence · evidence tampering · broken chain
chain, chains, custody, custodian, chained, unchain, unchained, custodial, chainmail