An attorney receives a document production request. Among the files: 200 photos the property owner claims were taken before the loss. The file timestamps say what they say. But file timestamps can be changed in seconds by anyone with basic computer access.

That's the problem with digital evidence right now. The evidence may be genuine. The documentation around it almost certainly isn't verified. When the dispute hits discovery, chain of custody becomes the entire argument.

ProofLedger was built for this gap: pre-loss documentation that creates a verifiable record before anyone disputes the timeline.

When you anchor a file in ProofLedger, the original document never leaves your device. The platform generates a SHA-256 hash of the file, a mathematical fingerprint unique to that exact file at that exact moment. That hash gets anchored to two public blockchains: Polygon for instant confirmation, and Bitcoin's proof-of-work network for daily batch anchoring with merkle proofs.

The result is a tamper-proof record that exists independently of the file itself. You can't change it, no platform can strip it, and no format conversion can corrupt it.

Chain of custody for digital evidence has always had a weak link: proving when a file was captured. File metadata is mutable. Cloud storage timestamps depend on server accuracy, screenshots can be backdated, and neither method produces a record on a ledger that no party to the dispute controls. A blockchain timestamp works differently. The anchor transaction appears on a public ledger at a specific block height, in sequence with every other transaction before and after it. That sequence cannot be altered without rewriting the entire chain.

For evidence authentication purposes, blockchain records can be authenticated under FRE 901(b)(9) as output from a process that produces an accurate result. FRE 902(13) allows machine-generated records to be self-authenticated through written certification, without requiring live expert testimony in every proceeding.

Evidence preservation before the loss is where this matters most. A risk manager who photographs a facility hazard in February needs to prove those photos existed before the March incident. For an insured documenting property condition before a storm, the same question: can you prove the record predates the claim? A blockchain anchor answers that question on a public ledger no party controls.

Evidence packs in ProofLedger let you organize blockchain evidence by case, matter, or claim, with loss dates and pre/post indicators built in. When files get produced in discovery, the anchor transaction travels with them.

A property manager documents roof condition before tenant occupancy. Photos, inspection reports, contractor notes: all anchored. Six months later, the tenant claims pre-existing damage. The property manager's files show what the roof looked like before occupancy. The blockchain anchor proves the record predated move-in. Chain of custody intact. Timeline verified.

That's what tamper-proof records provide. Not a claim the evidence is authentic. A cryptographic proof on a public ledger that anyone can verify independently.

Anchor before the loss, not after. Risk documentation, not claim documentation.