If there is a breach of chain of custody, what is a likely consequence for admissibility?

• A. Evidence remains automatically admissible.
• B. It may jeopardize admissibility.
• C. It becomes physically unusable but always admissible.
• D. It has no impact on admissibility.

Answer: (B)

Maintaining a continuous chain of custody means keeping a documented record of who handled the evidence, when, and under what conditions from collection to presentation in court. If that chain is broken, the evidence’s integrity and authenticity come into question. Because admissibility relies on showing the item is the same one collected and has not been tampered with, a breach can jeopardize whether it will be admitted. The usual course is to present a solid foundation to reestablish the chain or, if that isn’t possible or the break is severe, to exclude or limit the evidence’s use. It isn’t correct to say it stays automatically admissible, nor that it becomes usable but always admissible, nor that there’s no impact—the chain of custody is what guards admissibility, so any break introduces real risk.