Continuity
Definition
The property of an exhibit record that shows it passed from one documented custodian directly to the next with no unexplained gap. A continuous chain has no unaccounted interval during which the evidence was outside a named person's control.
Related terms
- Admissibility
- Whether a piece of evidence is permitted to be placed before the fact-finder at all. Admissibility is a threshold question, decided by...
- Chain of Custody
- The documented chronological record of who collected, handled, transferred, and examined a piece of evidence. For digital evidence, chain of custody includes...
- Exhibit Register
- The master log, maintained by the property or exhibits officer, showing every exhibit in a case, its reference number, current location, and...
- Exhibits Officer
- The designated person responsible for the physical security of all exhibits in a case. They receive items from collecting officers, log them...
- Tamper-Evident Seal
- A physical barrier (tape, sticker, wax) applied to packaging that shows visible damage if the package has been opened after sealing. Courts...
Explained in
- Chain of Custody: What It Is and What Breaks ItThe property of an exhibit record that shows it passed from one documented custodian directly to the next with no unexplained gap. A continuous chain has no un...