Outcome

Lawyer received critical information from cell phone text messages needed to win the case

Situation

  • The parties were going back and forth over the value of extracting text messages from defendant’s cell phone.
  • Judge finally ruled that the defendant must provide the device for forensic preservation and analysis, but the court date was in three days.
  • The device had to be returned as soon as practicable due to it being the defendant’s main form of communication.
  • In order to gain any useful insight based on the content in the text messages, the lawyer needed a minimum of one full day to review the data and prepare for trial.

Impact

  • The phone could contain a “smoking gun” text message needed to win the case.

Resolution

  • The TCDI forensics team created a forensic image of the cell phone and returned the device to the owner within four hours.
  • Our digital forensic analyst reviewed the preserved data, ran the keyword search, and generated a report of text messages.
  • The report was sent to the lawyer that day, giving the team two full days to review the text messages that ultimately proved critical to winning the case.