Secure Delivery
What "Chain of Custody" Means for Legal Document Delivery
It's a term borrowed from evidence handling, but it applies just as much to a sealed probate file or a settlement package. Here's what it actually requires.
In a legal context, chain of custody means being able to account for exactly who had a document, and when, from the moment it left one office to the moment it arrived at another. For most courier work that's not a formal evidentiary requirement — but the underlying discipline is the same one that protects a sealed probate file, a settlement package, or a signed original: minimize handoffs, and be able to prove what happened at each one.
What This Looks Like in Practice
- One vehicle, one driver, direct from pickup to drop-off — not routed through a regional sorting facility where a document changes hands multiple times.
- A locked courier bag rather than a loose envelope on a seat.
- Signature and timestamp confirmation at both pickup and delivery.
- No other unrelated packages in the vehicle at the same time on sensitive trips.
Questions Worth Asking a Courier Before You Hire One
If confidentiality matters for the trip, it's worth asking directly: does the document travel point-to-point, or does it pass through a hub? Is there a signature at delivery, and is it time-stamped? Is sealed or confidential handling a standard practice or an upcharge? The answers tell you whether you're hiring a courier or a shipping network with a courier's branding.
See our secure business delivery service for how we handle point-to-point trips for sensitive documents.