What is chain of custody in forfeiture cases?

• A. A log of court filings related to the case
• B. A summary of property value and description
• C. A documented trail of who handled the seized property, when, and how, ensuring integrity of evidence for court
• D. A record of the chain of title for real estate involved

Answer: (C)

Chain of custody is the documented trail that preserves the integrity of seized property from the moment it is collected to when it is presented in court. It records who handled the item, when they handled it, and how it was moved, stored, or altered, including any analyses or tests performed. This continuous log ensures the evidence remains authentic and untampered, which is crucial for admissibility in forfeiture cases. For example, cash or property is placed in a tamper-evident container, sealed, and logged with the case number, officer ID, time, and storage location; every transfer is signed off. Without a solid chain of custody, the court could question or exclude the evidence.

This isn’t just a log of court filings, nor a simple summary of value or description, nor a record of title for real estate. Those are different records; chain of custody specifically tracks who touched the evidence, when, and how, to maintain its integrity for the proceedings.