Glossary

Plain-language definitions

Terms that come up across these guides, explained once, linked from everywhere.

Tamper-evident

Any change made to a record after it’s saved leaves a visible trace. This is a narrower, more honest claim than “tamper-proof” — nothing can honestly promise a record can never be altered. A tamper-evident record promises that alteration would be detectable.

Contemporaneous

Close to when something happened — a note from today about today, not a reconstruction from memory next month. Courts generally weigh contemporaneous records more heavily than ones written well after the fact.

Evidentiary hearing

A court proceeding where each side presents actual evidence — documents, testimony, exhibits — so the judge can make a factual finding. Different from a routine status or case-management conference, where evidence usually isn’t formally introduced.

Affidavit

A written statement made under oath. It carries real legal consequences for lying (perjury) — that’s what gives it weight, not any particular format or stamp.

Notarization

A notary verifies who signed a document and that they did so willingly. It says nothing about whether the facts written in that document are true — that’s a separate question a judge still evaluates.

Chain of custody

A record of who had control of a piece of evidence, and when, from the moment it was created to the moment it’s presented in court — used to show it wasn’t altered or tampered with along the way.