With the vast majority of communication now happening in electronic form, and electronic custodians the ever present watchers of this discourse. Computer forensics has grown from a novelty to an essential skill.  Every electronic file has a unique fingerprint, and leaves a distinct trail as it moves through a network.  Following that trail and authenticating the who, what, where, and when associated with it, is the job of computer forensics.

Forensics flows hand in hand with Electronic Data Discovery (EDD).  Data collection methods, chain of custody records, and record retention policies can all impact the ultimate admissibility of evidence.  Unfortunately, many people take these issues for granted until it is too late, and the damage has been done.  Destruction or alteration of evidence can have a devastating impact on a case, and can potentially support claims of malpractice.

Scarab can help you avoid these pitfalls.  With our knowledgeable staff and technical expertise we educate our clients on proper data collection and preservation techniques and make the power of Computer Forensics easy to understand and apply.   We offer standard collection services, with chain of custody and data verification, as well as forensic data collection which adds system analysis, recovery of deleted files, and slack space. 

While Scarab's Computer Forensics Division is tailored to Litigation Support, we can also also handle Forensics request from the corporate world.  Everything from Human Resources to Loss Prevention.  By serving and educating our clients Scarab guarantees Client comfort and satisfaction at every step.

The Electronic Document process moves through four basic phases:

Data Collection:
Whether in response to a document discovery request or as a "pre-emptive" measure, data is collected in it’s native environment, using time and trial-proven methodologies. All Data Collection activities are meticulously documented, and evidence is handled and reviewed in accordance with Law Enforcement methodologies.
 

Processing:
Electronic documents are prepared for review through processing. The first step in processing involves filtering, data culling, and de-duplication to remove items not needed for production. Then processing converts the numerous file types found in most electronic populations to a universal format that enables tagging, redacting, and other traditional legal processing. 

Review:

Legal review for relevancy, privilege, etc. is conducted using review software.  For clients without review software, we can provide and support most major review programs, or we can host the review process on our servers.  During review, electronic documents are sorted, organized, and redacted.  Documents identified as responsive to the request or needed for case preparation are then marked for production.
 

Production:
At the production stage electronic documents are prepared for submission to counsel and/or other parties.  Depending on client preferences and legal requirements., this can be done in native (original electronic file), paper, image, or database format.  Depending on the format selected, bates stamping and redactions can then be applied and the data prepared for delivery.