Which element must computer evidence have to be admissible in court?

For any evidence, including computer evidence, to be admissible in a court of law, it must be relevant to the case, meaning it has a tendency to make a fact more or less probable than it would be without the evidence, and that fact is of consequence in determining the action. Relevance is a foundational requirement for all types of evidence.

While proper annotation and metadata are crucial for establishing the authenticity and integrity of digital evidence, which supports admissibility, 'relevant' is the primary and direct element for admissibility.

Digital evidence does not inherently need to be printed to be admissible in court; it can be presented in its digital format, although printouts may be used for convenience or specific court requirements.

Computer evidence does not need to contain source code; it could consist of logs, files, communications, images, or other digital artifacts pertinent to the case.