Which term refers to the deliberate destruction or alteration of evidence?

• A. Spoliation
• B. Chain of Custody
• C. Search & Seizure
• D. Right of Entry

Answer: (A)

Deliberate destruction or alteration of evidence is spoliation. In investigations, spoliation refers to actions like destroying documents, erasing or manipulating digital data, or tampering with physical items to hide what happened. Because it compromises the integrity of evidence, courts can impose sanctions such as adverse inferences or other penalties when spoliation is found.

The other terms describe how evidence is handled or obtained, not how it is destroyed: chain of custody is the documented, continuous trail showing who handled the evidence and when; search and seizure is the lawful act of taking evidence from a place with the proper authority; and the right of entry concerns the legal permission to enter a property.