One method of authenticating an item of real evidence is to establish a chain of custody. In order for evidence to be admissible under a chain of custody theory:

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Option D is correct because it correctly states that the trial court only needs to be reasonably satisfied that the evidence has not changed in significant ways since its original collection in order for it to be admissible. A chain of custody is a record of where the evidence has been, who has handled it, and when it was collected, helping to establish its authenticity and reliability. However, the evidence does not need to have been kept in a locked safe or taken to the judge immediately after it was found. The prosecution also needs to do more than just show that the evidence is of the same type as that found at the scene; they need to establish that the specific piece of evidence in question is the same one that was collected at the scene.

One Method of Authenticating an Item of Real Evidence Is