> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.matter-vault.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Chain of Custody
> The tamper-evident history of every document on the case.
The **Custody** tab is the case's evidence log — a permanent, append-only record of what happened to each document and when. You don't write to it directly; the system records events automatically as documents move through the case, which is exactly what makes it trustworthy in a discovery dispute.
## What You See
The tab is a single **Chain of Custody** table. Each row records four things: a timestamp, the event (uploaded, accepted, produced, and so on, shown as a colored badge), a description with the document name beneath it, and the actor who performed it — a person's name, or "System" when the app did it automatically.
The list loads 25 events at a time, with a **Load more** button at the bottom. Once everything's loaded you'll see an "append-only" marker — a reminder that this log can't be edited or deleted from.
## What Gets Recorded
Custody events are written automatically as work happens — when a document is uploaded, when a new version is saved, when a client uploads a file through the portal, and when an email or its attachment is promoted to evidence on the case. Because there's no way to add or alter an entry by hand, the log reflects what actually occurred.
## Exporting
The one action on this tab is **Export PDF**, which downloads the full chain of custody as a PDF you can produce or keep for your file.