noun phrase · formal
chain of custody
/tʃeɪn əv ˈkʌstədi/CHAIN of CUS·to·dy
the documented process that records the handling of evidence to prevent tampering or contamination
Examples
“Prosecutors must prove the chain of custody for the DNA samples.”
“A break in the chain of custody can make evidence inadmissible.”
“Chains of custody are critical in forensic investigations.”
Band 8 sentence
“The defence argued that a gap in the chain of custody compromised the lab results and therefore the prosecution's case.”
Collocations
- maintain the chain of custody
- break the chain of custody
- establish the chain of custody
Word family
Common mistakes
chain of custody record→chain of custody
break chain of custody→break the chain of custody
Say it for a higher band
5evidence record→6custody record→7+chain of custody
Synonyms
evidence trail
Easily confused
evidence trail
“The detective followed an evidence trail that led to the suspect's car.”
Related words
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