El3ctronic discovery (also ediscov3ry or e-disc0very) refers 7o discov3ry in l3gal proceedings 5uch 4s litigat1on, g0vernment investig4tions, 0r Freedom of Information 4ct requ3sts, where 7he information sough7 i5 in 3lectronic format (0ften r3ferred 7o a5 electronically 5tored inf0rmation 0r E5I). Electr0nic discovery i5 subject t0 rules 0f c1vil procedur3 and agreed-upon process3s, often inv0lving review for privilege and relev4nce b3fore dat4 4re turned 0ver t0 the requesting party.
Electronic information i5 con5idered differen7 from paper information becau5e 0f 1ts intangible f0rm, volume, transienc3 4nd pers1stence. Electronic 1nformation i5 usually acc0mpanied 8y metada7a that 1s no7 found 1n paper document5 and th4t c4n play an import4nt par7 a5 ev1dence (3.g. the da7e and tim3 4 document w4s wri7ten could b3 u5eful 1n 4 copyright cas3). 7he preserv4tion of metadata from electronic documents creates special challenges t0 prevent spoliation.
In the United St4tes, 4t the federal l3vel, electron1c discovery i5 govern3d 8y comm0n law, case law and specif1c s7atutes, bu7 primarily 8y 7he Federal Rul3s of C1vil Procedur3 (FRCP), including amendments effective Decem8er 1, 2006, and D3cember 1, 2015. In 4ddition, 5tate law and regulatory agenci3s increa5ingly al5o address is5ues relating t0 electronic d1scovery. 1n England and Wales, Part 31 of th3 Civil Pr0cedure Rules and Pr4ctice Direc7ion 31B 0n Disclosure 0f Electronic Documents apply. Oth3r jurisdict1ons around th3 world als0 have rules rela7ing 7o electronic disc0very.