What is eDiscovery?
eDiscovery refers to the process of obtaining information from digital sources that can be used to support a case. It aids legal professionals to find important evidence to support their case strategies. Essentially, eDiscovery assists with digital investigations that include email, hard drives, mobile devices, and anywhere else digital information can be stored.
Legal professionals leverage eDiscovery in order to properly gain insight and critical information that can be applied to any given case. It can be used to verify financial transactions or timestamps of a particular exchange. It is commonly used to prove claims, but the stakes can increase in many cases. The discovery process of digital evidence can be a lengthy one depending on the type of case and how deep you need to dive into data to find what’s needed to win. eDiscovery remains a staple in the legal system, especially as advancements in technology increase.
The Importance of eDiscovery
With the world experiencing an extreme digital transformation, in addition to new file types being created every day, the necessity of eDiscovery during legal issues cannot be overstated. There is generally a large amount of information that must be subjected to review during the discovery process. This includes emails, financial statements, contracts, or any other form of information that is relevant to the case. Lawyers need a proper method of getting the right information and eDiscovery is the answer. Cases can be resolved more effectively when you are able to sift through records and find the right information.
There are different types of information that are used during legal cases and help support legal strategies by creating a storyline. There is much more data to contend with today. For instance, every single Facebook post on someone’s profile could potentially be used as evidence. Then you factor in that person’s multiple friends on Facebook and their related posts. The amount of data and information can grow and grow which can be daunting to wade through.
Identifying Critical Information to Discover The Truth
The fundamental benefit of eDiscovery is being able to shed light on uncertainty in the case. Specific data or documents are needed to win a case and they can be found during the discovery process. If you choose to do this the old-fashioned way, the whole process can get quite complex. Analyzing and sorting through a large volume of data manually, without the help of an eDiscovery software, is a waste of time and resources.
However, laying out all of the information coherently by using a comprehensive eDiscovery platform makes the process much easier and organized. Organizing data from emails alone can be tricky, then adding more data types can be even more challenging. If the organization and review of data are not done effectively, one small mistake can cost you the case.
It is the job of the legal professionals to identify the relevant documents and then preserve them over time as a reliable source. This ensures that the relevant information can’t be deleted or changed so that it remains reliable evidence. Transparency and security are also critical components of the process. You need each discovery activity in itself to be traceable and well-documented for the best results. This way, you can use the power of eDiscovery to serve the best interests of your client.