How to Fill Out DA Form 4137

Table of Contents
  1. DA Form 4137 at a glance
  2. A filled-in DA Form 4137 example: an agent takes in two articles from their owner
  3. How to fill out DA Form 4137, box by box
  4. More rules for DA Form 4137
  5. Sources

DA Form 4137 at a glance

What it is: This is the EVIDENCE/PROPERTY CUSTODY DOCUMENT; for use of this form see AR 195-5; the proponent agency is CID.

A filled-in DA Form 4137 example: an agent takes in two articles from their owner

DA Form 4137 example filled out, example: an agent takes in two articles from their owner
Special Agent Jane A. Sample takes two articles from their owner, John Q. Example, who turns them in at an example CID office, and records them on the form. The person it was received from is the owner, so the example marks the OWNER box and leaves the OTHER: box clear. The list holds two articles on the first two of its ten lines. The chain of custody records three changes on page 1: items 1 and 2 pass from the owner to the agent, then item 1 passes from the agent to an evidence custodian, and each row is filled in with both signatures. The document number and location at the bottom of page 1 are filled in as well. The OTHER: box, the other eight lines of the list and the last two chain rows are left blank, and page 2 and the final disposal blocks stay blank because this example ends before any article is disposed of. Every name, number, date and address in the example is made up. Open the picture to see it full size.

How to fill out DA Form 4137, box by box

Tap a group of boxes to open it, and a picture to see it full size.

Numbers and receiving activity
DA Form 4137 example filled out, numbers and receiving activity

At the top, fill in the MPR/CID SEQUENCE NUMBER and the CRD REPORT/CID ROI NUMBER.

Fill in the RECEIVING ACTIVITY and the LOCATION.

Who it was received from and where it was obtained
DA Form 4137 example filled out, who it was received from and where it was obtained

Fill in the NAME, GRADE AND TITLE OF PERSON FROM WHOM RECEIVED and the ADDRESS (Include Zip Code); the form has an OWNER box and an OTHER: box.

Fill in LOCATION FROM WHERE OBTAINED, REASON OBTAINED and TIME/DATE OBTAINED.

The list of articles
DA Form 4137 example filled out, the list of articles

On each line of the list, fill in ITEM NO., QUANTITY and DESCRIPTION OF ARTICLES, and in the description include model, serial number, condition and unusual marks or scratches.

Chain of custody, page 1
DA Form 4137 example filled out, chain of custody, page 1

In CHAIN OF CUSTODY, each row has ITEM NO., DATE, RELEASED BY, RECEIVED BY and PURPOSE OF CHANGE OF CUSTODY, and under RELEASED BY and under RECEIVED BY a NAME, GRADE OR TITLE line and a SIGNATURE line.

Document number and location
DA Form 4137 example filled out, document number and location

Fill in DOCUMENT NUMBER and LOCATION.

Chain of custody, continued on page 2
DA Form 4137 example filled out, chain of custody, continued on page 2

CHAIN OF CUSTODY (Continued) has the same ITEM NO., DATE, RELEASED BY, RECEIVED BY, PURPOSE OF CHANGE OF CUSTODY, NAME, GRADE OR TITLE and SIGNATURE lines.

Final disposal action
DA Form 4137 example filled out, final disposal action

Under FINAL DISPOSAL ACTION the form has three lines: RELEASE TO OWNER OR OTHER (Name/Unit), DESTROY and OTHER (Specify).

Final disposal authority
DA Form 4137 example filled out, final disposal authority

FINAL DISPOSAL AUTHORITY: ITEM(S) ... ON THIS DOCUMENT, PERTAINING TO THE INVESTIGATION INVOLVING (Grade) (Name) (Organization) (IS) (ARE) NO LONGER REQUIRED AS EVIDENCE AND MAY BE DISPOSED OF AS INDICATED ABOVE. (If article(s) must be retained, do not sign, but explain in separate correspondence.) Then fill in NAME / GRADE / TITLE, SIGNATURE and DATE.

Witness to destruction of evidence
DA Form 4137 example filled out, witness to destruction of evidence

WITNESS TO DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE: THE ARTICLE(S) LISTED AT ITEM NUMBER(S) ... (WAS) (WERE) DESTROYED BY THE EVIDENCE CUSTODIAN, IN MY PRESENCE, ON THE DATE INDICATED ABOVE. Then the witness is to fill in NAME / ORGANIZATION, SIGNATURE and DATE.

More rules for DA Form 4137

This is DA FORM 4137, JUL 2023; PREVIOUS EDITIONS ARE OBSOLETE.

Sources

[1] DA FORM 4137, JUL 2023, Evidence/Property Custody Document, U.S. Army Publishing Directorate (the Official source link on this page).

DA Form 4137 PDF Details

The chain of custody lists, for each item, the date, who released it, who received it and the purpose of change of custody.

Description: include model, serial number, condition and unusual marks or scratches.

From whom received: name, grade and title of the person from whom received, and the address (include zip code).

Obtained: enter the location from where obtained, the reason obtained and the time/date obtained.

Disposal: items no longer required as evidence may be disposed of as indicated; if article(s) must be retained, do not sign, but explain in separate correspondence.

QuestionAnswer
Form NameDA Form 4137
Form Length2 pages
Fillable?Yes
Fillable fields153
Avg. time to fill out26 min
EditionJUL 2023
Proponent agencyCID (AR 195-5)
Other namesDA Form 4137, DA 4137, DA4137, Form 4137, Evidence/Property Custody Document
Official sourceDA Form 4137 (Rev JUL 2023), CID

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