chain of evidence
Documented possession sequence
Chain of evidence is the documented trail showing how physical evidence in a legal case was collected, handled, stored, and transferred from the crime scene to the courtroom.
Also called chain of custody, it ensures that evidence hasn't been tampered with or contaminated, which could make it inadmissible at trial.
Each person who handles the evidence must be recorded, creating an unbroken sequence of accountability.
The defense attorney challenged the chain of evidence, noting gaps in documentation.
- admissibilityQuality of being permitted
- crime sceneLocation of an offense
- criminal procedureLaw governing case prosecution
- discovery processPretrial evidence-gathering procedure
- forensic investigationScientific examination of crime evidence
subpoena · fingerprint · deposition · expert witness · sworn testimony · smoking gun · timestamping · trial preparation · preservation techniques · lab results · case law · audit trail · video recordings · incident report · seal · barcode scanning · surveillance cameras · paper trail
chain of evidencetainted evidence
Legally compromised courtroom materials
evidence tampering · inadmissible evidence · spoliation · planted evidence
chain, chains, chained, chaining, chainless, evidence, evident, evidently, evidential