What Is eDiscovery?
eDiscovery (electronic discovery) is the process of identifying, preserving, collecting, reviewing, and producing digital information for legal and regulatory matters. In modern enterprises, eDiscovery depends on data governance, automation, and AI-ready data foundations.
Key Takeaways
- eDiscovery applies to all digital data, not just emails.
- Legal holds must override deletion and retention policies.
- Data sprawl makes eDiscovery expensive and risky.
- Governed data reduces legal exposure.
- Solix provides the foundation for defensible eDiscovery.
What Is eDiscovery?
eDiscovery, short for electronic discovery, refers to the process of finding and producing digital information for:
- Lawsuits and litigation
- Regulatory investigations
- Internal audits
- Compliance reviews
It applies to emails, documents, databases, chat messages, cloud applications, backups, and even AI-generated content.
Why eDiscovery Has Become So Difficult
Modern enterprises generate data everywhere:
- SaaS platforms
- Cloud storage
- Data lakes and warehouses
- Backup systems
- Messaging and collaboration tools
Legal teams must find relevant information across all of them, under tight deadlines and strict compliance rules.
Mini-scenario: A company receives a subpoena for five years of customer communications. Some data is in email, some in Slack, some in backups, and some in archived cloud storage. Without centralized governance, it takes months and millions of dollars to collect.
The Core Steps of eDiscovery
- Identification: Determine what data sources may contain relevant information.
- Preservation: Apply legal holds to prevent deletion.
- Collection: Gather copies of relevant data.
- Processing: Filter, deduplicate, and index data.
- Review: Lawyers and AI analyze relevance.
- Production: Provide required data to courts or regulators.
eDiscovery vs Data Governance
| Without Governance | With Governance |
|---|---|
| Unknown data locations | Full data inventory |
| Manual legal holds | Automated policy-based holds |
| High collection cost | Targeted, defensible collections |
| High legal risk | Audit-ready compliance |
Why eDiscovery Matters for AI
AI systems generate and consume data that may be subject to legal discovery. That includes:
- Training datasets
- Prompt logs
- Generated outputs
- Decision records
Without governance, AI becomes a legal blind spot.
Where Solix Fits
Modern eDiscovery requires more than search. It requires a governed data foundation that spans production, backups, archives, and cloud systems.
The Solix Unified Data Platform provides:
- Enterprise-wide data discovery
- Legal hold and retention management
- Defensible deletion and audit trails
- AI-ready data governance
This enables faster, lower-cost, and defensible eDiscovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does eDiscovery include backup data?
Yes. Courts and regulators often require relevant data from backups and archives if it exists.
What is a legal hold?
A legal hold prevents deletion of data related to a legal matter.
Can AI help with eDiscovery?
Yes. AI can accelerate document review and relevance analysis when data is governed.
How long does eDiscovery take?
It depends on data volume and governance maturity.
How does Solix reduce eDiscovery cost?
By reducing data sprawl and providing centralized control.
Be Ready Before Legal Calls
eDiscovery should not be a fire drill. With the right data foundation, it becomes a routine, defensible process.
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Transparency note: This article provides general information about eDiscovery. Legal obligations vary by jurisdiction and should be reviewed with qualified counsel.
