# Real evidence

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{{short description|Any material object relevant to the facts in a judicial proceeding}}
{{Evidence law}}
{{for|the film|Physical Evidence}}

In [evidence law](/source/evidence_law), '''physical evidence''' (also called '''real evidence''' or '''material evidence''') is any [material object](/source/material_object) that plays some role in the matter that gave rise to the [litigation](/source/litigation), introduced as [evidence](/source/Evidence_(law)) in a judicial proceeding (such as a [trial](/source/trial_(law))) to prove a fact in issue based on the object's physical characteristics.

==In American law==
===Tampering===
{{main|Tampering with evidence}}
{{see also|Spoliation of evidence}}

It is an offense at [common law](/source/common_law) "to tamper with, conceal, or destroy evidence knowing that it may be wanted in a judicial proceeding or is being sought by law enforcement officers."<ref name="CJS">67 [Corpus Juris Secundum](/source/Corpus_Juris_Secundum) ''Obstructing Justice'' § 63 (footnotes omitted).</ref> This is also a crime under statutes of many [U.S. state](/source/U.S._state)s.<ref name="CJS"/> A 2004 review found that 32 states had a statute "that prohibits, in some form, the concealment, destruction, or tampering with evidence."<ref name="Decker">John F. Decker, ''The Varying Parameters of Obstruction of Justice in American Criminal Law'', 65 <small>[LA. L. Rev.](/source/Louisiana_Law_Review)</small> 40, 83-84 (2004).</ref> Evidence tampering "generally refers to physical evidence and is not founded on false statements or the concealment of information by false statements."<ref name="CJS"/> It falls within the broader set of [obstruction of justice](/source/obstruction_of_justice)-related offenses; others include [perjury](/source/perjury), [bribery](/source/bribery), destruction of government property, [contempt](/source/Contempt_of_court), and escape.<ref name="Decker"/>

Generally, the [elements of the offense](/source/elements_of_the_offense) are: that the person had "knowledge that an official proceeding or investigation is in progress or is likely to be instituted"; that the person took (2) "overt action to alter, destroy, conceal, or remove evidence"; and that (3) the person had the "purpose of impairing the value or availability of the evidence in the proceeding or investigation."<ref name="CJS"/>

===Self-incrimination===
In ''Pennsylvania v. Muniz'' (1990), the [U.S. Supreme Court](/source/U.S._Supreme_Court) "distinguished 'physical' and 'demeanor' evidence from 'testimonial' evidence, holding that evidence of the former does not engender [Fifth Amendment](/source/Fifth_Amendment_to_the_United_States_Constitution) protection" against [self-incrimination](/source/self-incrimination).<ref name="Velarde-Gomez">{{cite court |litigants=United States v. Velarde-Gomez|vol=269|reporter=F.3d |opinion=1023|pinpoint=1032-33|court=9th Cir. |date=2001 |url=http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov/docs/common/opinions/200703/04-7041a.pdf}}</ref> The [U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit](/source/U.S._Court_of_Appeals_for_the_Ninth_Circuit) has held that "physical evidence includes one's fingerprints, handwriting, vocal characteristics, stance, stride, gestures, or blood characteristics."<ref name="Velarde-Gomez"/>

==See also==
*[Chain of custody](/source/Chain_of_custody)
*[Forensic science](/source/Forensic_science)
*[DNA fingerprinting](/source/DNA_fingerprinting)
*[Authentication](/source/Authentication)
*[Documentary evidence](/source/Documentary_evidence)
*[Evidence packaging](/source/Evidence_packaging)

==References==
{{Reflist}}
Category:Evidence law
Category:Forensic evidence

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Real evidence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_evidence) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_evidence?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.