Transfer Documentation
Definition
The written record of evidence moving from one person or location to another, specifying the date, time, persons involved, condition of the packaging, and the purpose of the transfer.
- Records
- Date, time, persons, packaging condition, purpose
- Applies to
- Clinical specimens moving between custodians
- Purpose
- Closes gaps in the chain-of-custody record
- Format
- Signed log or form, paper or electronic
Common questions
Who signs a transfer document?+
Both the releasing and receiving custodian sign, dating and timing the handover. A single signature only proves release, not receipt, so both sides are needed to close the link.
What happens if a transfer step is undocumented?+
The chain of custody has a gap that a defence can exploit to argue the specimen could have been altered, substituted, or contaminated during the unrecorded interval, even if nothing actually happened.
Related terms
- 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 of Evidence
- The UK courts' term for the same concept as chain of custody: the requirement that the prosecution can account for the movement...
- Evidence Kit
- A standardised collection of envelopes, swabs, slides, and forms provided by the jurisdiction's law enforcement or health authority for use in sexual...
- Spoilation
- The destruction, loss, or alteration of evidence in litigation, whether intentional or negligent. Courts may impose sanctions including adverse inference instructions when...
- 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...