Chain of Custody: Its Importance and Requirements for Clinical Laboratory Specimens

The chain of custody may determine whether evidence is competent and, therefore, whether it is admissible. Laboratory reports and autopsy results are based on specimens that must be shown to be free of tampering before they can be allowed into evidence and/or used as a basis for testimony. Any report, result, or specimen maybe used as evidence regardless of whether the laboratory is forensic. The chain of custody used to authenticate evidence can be done by written documentation with the use of a single form or multiple forms including receipts. The chain can also be established with oral testimony or a combination of the above. Depending on the type of specimen and the importance attached to it by the court may determine the specific requirements of the chain of custody. Local custom in the jurisdiction is important in determining the type of documentation necessary.