What kinds of cases do you handle?

Typical cases include financial fraud (unauthorized transfers, account takeovers, deepfake payment scams, embezzlement); losses from poorly signed contracts where evidence is missing or e-signatures are disputed; proof of crypto custody to support tax residency and tax payments; intellectual property disputes between companies over source code misuse or unauthorized software reproduction; and deliveries of software or digital services that do not match the contract.

Who are your services for?

Law firms, in-house legal and compliance teams, companies investigating internal incidents, and individuals who need digital evidence collected, analyzed and explained. We work both for the party presenting evidence and for the party challenging the other side's technical findings.

What is crypto forensics?

Crypto forensics is the forensic analysis of cryptocurrency and blockchain activity. We trace transactions across chains and exchanges, cluster and attribute wallets, reconstruct the flow of funds, and document everything in a report that can be defended in court. It is used in fraud, money laundering, ransomware, insolvency and disputes over digital assets.

What is deepfake forensics and when do you need it?

Deepfake forensics is the technical examination of video, audio and images to determine whether they were generated or manipulated by artificial intelligence. It is critical in identity theft used for financial and contractual fraud, such as AI voice cloning in wire transfer scams, synthetic faces defeating remote KYC onboarding, and forged video or audio used to induce or dispute contracts. We analyze compression artifacts, biometric inconsistencies, metadata and provenance signals, and document the findings so they can be presented and defended as evidence in US courts under Federal Rules of Evidence 901, 902 and 702.

Can your reports be used as evidence in US courts?

Yes. Our methodology is built around the admissibility requirements US courts apply: authentication under Federal Rules of Evidence 901 and 902, and reliable, reproducible expert methodology under Rule 702 and the Daubert standard. Every step, including acquisition, hashing, chain of custody, tooling and validation, is documented so the analysis can be repeated and cross-examined.

Do you testify as an expert witness?

Yes. We prepare and deliver expert testimony, and we explain our conclusions in plain language so judges, juries, lawyers and non-technical audiences understand exactly what the evidence shows and what it does not. We also support attorneys with deposition preparation and rebuttal of opposing expert reports.

What is a technical expert report?

A detailed document prepared by a forensic expert describing the evidence examined, the methods used, the findings and the limitations. It relies on recognized, reproducible methodologies so the conclusions can be verified by the other side and accepted by the court.

How do you protect chain of custody and evidence integrity?

Evidence is acquired using forensically sound methods, verified with cryptographic hashes, and analyzed on working copies so the original is never altered. Every transfer and action is logged in a documented chain of custody, which is what allows the evidence to survive challenge in court.

Do you investigate devices other than phones and computers?

Yes. We analyze cloud accounts and SaaS logs, servers, vehicle systems (GPS and infotainment), smartwatches, CCTV, IoT devices and network captures. If it has memory or produces logs, it can usually be investigated.

Can you work remotely with US law firms and companies?

Yes. Most engagements start remotely: a scoping call, a secure transfer or remote acquisition of the data, then analysis and reporting. When physical seizure or on-site imaging is required, we coordinate the collection so the chain of custody is preserved end to end.

How long does a forensic analysis take?

It depends on the complexity of the case and the volume of data. A focused analysis of a single device or wallet is typically faster than a multi-device or multi-chain investigation. Expedited timelines are available and agreed upfront.

How much does it cost?

Every case is scoped individually, and complexity drives the price. As a reference, expert hourly rates typically range from EUR 120 to EUR 200 (approximately USD 130 to 220). You receive a scope and estimate before any work begins.

Will my data be confidential and secure?

Yes. Confidentiality is a pillar of our work. We operate under NDA when required and follow strict custody, access-control and data-protection protocols so your privacy and the integrity of the evidence are preserved.

Is Evidencify certified?

Our technicians hold ISMP - Information Security Management Professional (ISO/IEC 27001) and PDP - Privacy & Data Protection certifications, both issued by EXIN.

How do I get started?

Click 'Hire an Expert' and tell us briefly what happened. After a short confidential evaluation of your case, we explain the possible approaches, the expected timeline and the costs.

Data Recovery Services for Litigation: Recovering Deleted Evidence

By Thiago Vieira, Court-appointed digital forensic expert · Published August 30, 2026 · Updated October 14, 2026

Specialized forensic data recovery services for US litigation ensure deleted files, text messages, and emails are recovered and preserved in compliance with federal court standards.

When critical electronic evidence is deleted, overwritten, or wiped prior to or during a lawsuit, standard IT data recovery methods are insufficient. Litigants require specialized forensic data recovery services for litigation to identify, extract, and preserve electronic evidence while strictly maintaining a defensible chain of custody. Whether addressing accidental deletion, intentional spoliation, or device tampering, digital forensics experts employ specialized techniques to recover hidden files, unallocated space, and systemic metadata for use in state and federal courts across the United States.

What Are Forensic Data Recovery Services for Litigation?

Forensic data recovery for litigation is the process of retrieving deleted, corrupted, hidden, or fragmented electronic records specifically for use as evidence in legal proceedings. Unlike commercial IT recovery—which prioritizes simply restoring lost files to operational status—forensic data recovery focuses on evidentiary integrity, repeatably verifiable methodology, and strict compliance with the Federal Rules of Evidence (FRE) and Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP).

Digital forensics experts extract data from smartphones, hard drives, solid-state drives (SSDs), servers, and cloud environments while generating bit-stream forensic images. This ensures the original media remains untouched and pristine. Recovered evidence often includes:

Deleted text messages (SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, Signal)
Purged emails and hidden PST/OST archives
System log files, registry artifacts, and deletion timestamps
Anticipated or deleted source code repositories
Data exfiltration traces stored in unallocated disk space

Commercial IT Recovery vs. Forensic Recovery: Key Differences

Using standard IT utilities or off-the-shelf software to retrieve deleted files can permanently compromise a case. Traditional recovery tools often write temporary data back to the drive, overwriting unallocated clusters where deleted evidence resides. Furthermore, standard IT methods alter file metadata, rendering the evidence vulnerable to motions in limine or suppression under FRE Rule 901 (Authenticating or Identifying Evidence).

Critical Steps in the Forensic Recovery Process

To ensure that recovered data withstands scrutiny during deposition and trial, certified digital forensics experts follow a structured, standardized workflow:

1. Identification and Identification Preservation

The process begins by identifying all relevant sources of Electronically Stored Information (ESI). Once identified, custodians must issue preservation letters or litigation holds. Physical devices are immediately secured in Faraday bags or isolated from networks to prevent remote wipes.

2. Forensic Imaging and Write-Blocking

Forensic examiners connect target media to hardware write-blockers that prevent any data modification. An exact, sector-by-sector duplicate—known as a bit-stream forensic image—is created. Hash values (MD5 or SHA-256) are calculated before and after imaging to mathematically prove that the copy is identical to the original.

3. File Carving and Artifact Extraction

Using specialized tools such as EnCase, FTK, or Magnet AXIOM, examiners perform file carving across unallocated space. File carving searches raw data blocks for distinct file headers and footers, reassembling files even if the file allocation table has been cleared or altered.

4. Metadata Analysis and Timeline Reconstruction

Recovered data is evaluated alongside file system artifacts (e.g., Windows Event Logs, $MFT records, shellbags, or iOS database journals). This allows examiners to reconstruct user activity timelines, proving not only what was deleted, but when and how it was deleted.

5. Reporting and Expert Testimony

Findings are synthesized into comprehensive, objective expert reports that satisfy FRE Rule 702 and Daubert standards. If necessary, the forensic examiner provides deposition or courtroom testimony explaining the technical methodology and proving the validity of the recovered evidence.

Addressing Spoliation and Court Sanctions

Under FRCP Rule 37(e), parties have a legal duty to preserve ESI when litigation is reasonably anticipated. When a party intentionally deletes data or fails to take reasonable steps to preserve it, courts may impose severe spoliation sanctions, including adverse inference jury instructions, striking of pleadings, or monetary fines.

Retaining professional data recovery services allows legal teams to either mitigate allegations of spoliation by proving accidental loss without bad faith, or establish that an opposing party intentionally wiped devices using anti-forensic software (such as file shredders or privacy wipers).

Frequently Asked Questions

Can deleted data be recovered from Solid-State Drives (SSDs)?

Yes, but SSD data recovery is time-sensitive due to automatic background processes like TRIM and garbage collection, which permanently erase unallocated blocks. Immediate physical isolation and specialized physical/chip-off extraction methods are critical for successful recovery from solid-state storage.

How do forensic examiners prove data was intentionally deleted?

Examiners analyze system logs, registry keys, master file table ($MFT) records, and application execution history (such as Prefetch or Shimcache files). Identifying the installation or execution of wiping software immediately prior to a court-ordered inspection provides objective proof of intentional deletion.

Will forensic data recovery damage the physical device?

Standard non-destructive forensic imaging and physical extraction techniques preserve the original device intact. In rare cases involving severe hardware damage, advanced laboratory repairs (micro-soldering or board swaps) may be required, which are performed with prior authorization from the client or court order.

Partner with Evidencify for Litigation-Grade Data Recovery

When trial outcomes depend on recovering missing or deleted digital evidence, relying on standard IT fixes introduces unnecessary risk. Evidencify provides specialized data recovery services for litigation, combining advanced digital forensics techniques with an unassailable evidentiary workflow tailored for US state and federal courts.

If your case involves deleted files, destroyed hardware, or suspected spoliation of evidence, contact Evidencify today for a confidential case evaluation with a certified digital forensics specialist.

Need help with a case like this? See our Digital forensics expert services, or request a confidential case evaluation.

Primary sources

About the author

Thiago Vieira, Court-appointed digital forensic expert. Attorney (OAB Brazil and Ordem dos Advogados de Portugal) and digital forensic expert officially appointed by the Tribunal da Relação do Porto, TJMG and TJSC, with 60+ judicial cases involving deepfakes, digital manipulation and source code analysis.