Exhibit Register
Definition
The master log, maintained by the property or exhibits officer, showing every exhibit in a case, its reference number, current location, and the complete history of custody transfers.
- Maintained by
- Property or exhibits officer
- Contents
- Every exhibit, reference number, current location, custody history
- Scope
- Master log for the entire case
- Function
- Central record supporting chain of custody
Common questions
How is the exhibit register different from the individual chain-of-custody form for one item?+
A chain-of-custody form tracks one item's transfers. The exhibit register is the master log across every exhibit in the case, giving a single point of reference for current location and full custody history of everything collected.
What happens if an exhibit's entry in the register is incomplete?+
A gap in the register, such as a missing transfer date or location, can be used to challenge the exhibit's integrity in court, since it breaks the documented continuity of custody the register is meant to provide.
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...
- Continuity
- The property of an exhibit record that shows it passed from one documented custodian directly to the next with no unexplained gap....
- 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...