                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CERTIFICATE OF ANALYSIS AS EVIDENCE OF CHAIN OF CUSTODY OF MATERIAL DESCRIBED
THEREIN (§ 19.2-187.01)

A report of analysis duly attested by the person performing such analysis or
examination in any laboratory operated by (i) the Division of Consolidated
Laboratory Services, the Department of Forensic Science or any of its regional
laboratories, or by any laboratory authorized by such Division or Department to
conduct such analysis or examination; (ii) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(iii) the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; (iv) the Naval
Criminal Investigative Service; (v) the federal Drug Enforcement Administration;
(vi) the United States Postal Service; (vii) the U.S. Secret Service; or (viii)
the Forensic Document Laboratory of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
shall be prima facie evidence in a criminal or civil proceeding as to the
custody of the material described therein from the time such material is
received by an authorized agent of such laboratory until such material is
released subsequent to such analysis or examination. Any such certificate of
analysis purporting to be signed by any such person shall be admissible as
evidence in such hearing or trial without any proof of the seal or signature or
of the official character of the person whose name is signed to it. The
signature of the person who received the material for the laboratory on the
request for laboratory examination form or evidence submission receipt, either
by hand or by electronic means, shall be deemed prima facie evidence that the
person receiving the material was an authorized agent and that such receipt
constitutes proper receipt by the laboratory for purposes of this section. For
purposes of this section, any laboratory that has entered into a contract with
the Department of Forensic Science for the provision of forensic laboratory
services shall be deemed authorized by the Department to conduct such analyses
or examinations.

HISTORY: 1979, c. 364; 1989, c. 458; 1990, cc. 548, 825; 1991, c. 687; 1993, c.
32; 1994, c. 375; 1995, c. 437; 2005, cc. 868, 881; 2011, c. 645; 2015, cc. 75,
126; 2019, cc. 478, 479; 2024, c. 210.