Chain of custody
Chain of Custody Documentation NZ
Evidence integrity and handling documentation for criminal and civil matters involving cryptocurrency.
We document how digital evidence was identified, preserved, and analysed - producing chain of custody records that meet the evidentiary standards of New Zealand courts and withstand scrutiny from opposing counsel.
Meet the team
Our consultants
The forensic specialists behind our evidence handling and court-ready documentation.
Nic Turnbull
Lead Forensic Consultant
Forensics, legal support & wallet recovery
New Zealand
Harry Satoshi
Managing Director
Personal consulting, wallets & security
New Zealand
Harry Scott
Legal & Scam Specialist
Scam response, legal & crisis support
harry.scott@cryptoconsulting.nz
New Zealand
Dave Roberts
Investigations Lead
On-chain tracing, asset discovery & OSINT
New Zealand
Services
What we cover
From evidence preservation and audit trails to court-ready certificates and expert certification - chain of custody documentation built for New Zealand legal proceedings.
Evidence preservation
Protocols for identifying, securing, and preserving wallet data, blockchain exports, and digital artefacts.
- Forensic imaging and hash verification of digital evidence at point of receipt
- Secure storage protocols for wallet files, seed phrases, and device images
- Tamper-evident handling procedures from receipt to court delivery
- Documentation of evidence condition at every stage of the process
- Coordination with NZ Police and Crown prosecutors on evidence handling
Audit trails
Complete records of every analysis step, tool used, and finding made during forensic examination.
- Step-by-step documentation of all forensic analysis conducted
- Tool identification and version recording for every platform used
- Analyst notes and decision records at every stage of the investigation
- Independent verifiability of all findings and methodology
- Audit trail suitable for disclosure to opposing counsel and the court
Court-ready documentation
Chain of custody records structured to meet NZ evidentiary standards for criminal and civil proceedings.
- Formal chain of custody certificates for all digital evidence handled
- Evidence schedules documenting every item received and analysed
- Court-ready formatting aligned with NZ criminal and civil procedure rules
- Plain English summaries for counsel alongside full technical records
- Available for urgent matters and short notice court deadlines
Expert certification
Formal certification of evidence integrity by a qualified forensic specialist.
- Expert certification that evidence has been handled without modification
- Hash verification records confirming evidence integrity throughout analysis
- Certification suitable for filing in NZ court proceedings
- Available to give oral evidence on chain of custody matters if required
- Independent certification accepted by both Crown and defence counsel
Coordination with legal teams
Working directly alongside solicitors, barristers, and investigators to ensure evidence handling meets legal requirements.
- Direct liaison with instructing solicitors and Crown prosecutors
- Guidance on evidence preservation best practice for legal teams
- Rapid response for urgent matters where evidence is at risk
- Coordination with NZ Police digital forensics units where required
- Ongoing availability throughout proceedings for evidence questions
Context
Why chain of custody matters
In criminal and civil proceedings involving cryptocurrency, the integrity of digital evidence is as important as the evidence itself. A forensic report that cannot demonstrate how evidence was handled, preserved, and analysed is vulnerable to challenge - and potentially inadmissible.
Chain of custody documentation establishes that evidence has not been tampered with, modified, or compromised between its identification and its presentation to the court. In cryptocurrency matters - where evidence exists as digital files, wallet exports, and blockchain data - rigorous chain of custody protocols are essential to the integrity of any forensic finding.
Every engagement we conduct includes full chain of custody documentation as standard.
Process
How it works
Step 1
Initial instruction
Contact us or have your solicitor get in touch. We'll discuss your evidence handling requirements and respond within 24 hours.
Step 2
Evidence receipt & preservation
We receive the evidence, conduct forensic imaging and hash verification, and establish the chain of custody record from point of receipt.
Step 3
Analysis & documentation
We conduct the forensic analysis and document every step - tools used, findings made, and decisions taken - maintaining the audit trail throughout.
Step 4
Court-ready delivery
We deliver the chain of custody documentation alongside our forensic report - formatted for court filing and available for expert certification if required.
Contact
How can we help?
Need chain of custody documentation for a cryptocurrency matter? Send us a message and we'll respond within 24 hours. All enquiries are strictly confidential - a full NDA is signed before any work begins.
Prefer email? contact@cryptoconsulting.nz
Enquiry type
FAQ