What is chain of custody?

"The Chain of Custody definition refers to the document or paper trail showing the seizure, custody, control, transfer, analysis and disposition of physical and electronic evidence." ?Chain of custody? is also used in most chemical sampling situations to maintain the integrity of the sample by providing documentation of the control, transfer, and analysis of samples.  Chain of custody is especially important in environmental work where sampling can identify the existence of contamination and can be used to identify the responsible party.

There are several applications that can be considered Chain of Custody...not just the most common medical form. These forms can also be found in the Airline, Military, Forestry, Law Enforcement and Animal Control industries.