Chain of custody, in legal contexts, refers to the chronological documentation or paper trail, showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis, and disposition of physical or electronic evidence. Chiefly significant in criminal cases, the thought is also applied in civil litigation and sometimes more largely in drug testing of athletes, traceability of food products and to give assurances that wood products originate from sustainably managed forests.
Importance of the Chain of Custody
