System for Automatic Legal Discovery Management and Data Collection

Abstract

Provided is a system and method for the collection and production of documents in a judicial setting. The disclosed technology provides a rapid, cost-efficient system for document production that requires no local workstation or laptop software installation. Both a web-based solution and a hard drive based solution are provided. Collected information is stored, analyzed, filtered and indexed, all while adhering to strict document preservation and chain of custody requirements. Filtering can be based upon such criteria as file type, date range, key word searches and individual or group custodial selection. Also provided are procedures to notify parties of the need to preserve information that may be subject to disclosure. In addition, the disclosed technology provides the identification and elimination of duplicate and modified documents while preserving information, including associated metadata, associated with such files.

1 . A method for the organization and collection of documents, comprising:
 identifying a plurality of documents, stored on a first data storage, subject to a document production request;   specifying a custodian of the plurality of documents, wherein the custodian has rights to the plurality of documents;   selecting by the custodian, in response to the document production request, a first document of the plurality of documents; and   storing a copy of the first document and metadata associated with the first document in a second data storage such that the custodian does not have rights to the document and associated metadata stored on the second data storage.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising generating chain of custody information corresponding to the first document, wherein the chain of custody information is stored in the second data storage in conjunction with the first document and associated metadata. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a hold message corresponding to the plurality of documents for the custodian; and   transmitting the hold message to the custodian.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether or not a non-metadata portion of a second selected document is identical to a non-meta portion of the first document;   transmitting to the second data storage the second selected document if the non-metadata portion of the second selected document does not match the non-metadata portion of the first document;   extracting the metadata portion of the second document if the non-metadata portion of the second document does match the non-metadata portion of the first document;   transmitting to the second data storage the extracted metadata; and   storing in the second data storage the extracted metadata such that the extracted metadata is associated with the first document.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining that a second selected document is a modification of the first document; and   preventing the storage of the second document if the second document is determined to be a modification of the first document.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 storing in a transmission queue the first document prior to storing the first document on the second data storage; and   transmitting the first document from the transmission queue to the second data storage.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the transmission queue is a third data storage, further comprising:
 transmitting to a the second data storage a list of information associated with the transmission queue; and   collecting the first document from the transmission queue by a processor coupled to the second data storage without action other than the transmission of the list by a second processor coupled to the first data storage.   
     
     
         8 . A system for the organization and collection of documents, comprising:
 a first data storage, wherein the first data storage stores a plurality of documents subject to a document production request;   logic for specifying a custodian of the plurality of documents;   a graphical user interface that enables the custodian to select, in response to the document production request, a first document of the plurality of documents; and,   logic for storing, if the first document is selected by the custodian, a copy of the first document and metadata associated with the first document in a second data storage such that the custodian does not have rights to the document and associated metadata stored on the second data storage.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising logic for generating chain of custody information corresponding to the first document, wherein, if the first document is selected by the custodian, the chain of custody information is stored in the second data storage in conjunction with the first document and associated metadata. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 logic for the generation of a hold message corresponding to the plurality of documents; and   logic for transmitting the hold message to the custodian.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 logic for determining whether or not a non-metadata portion of a second document is identical to a non-meta portion of the first document;   logic for transmitting to the second data storage the second document if the non-metadata portion of the second document does not match the non-metadata portion of the first document;   logic for extracting the metadata portion of the second document if the non-metadata portion of the second document does match the non-metadata portion of the first document;   logic for transmitting to the second data storage the extracted metadata; and   logic for storing in the second data storage the extracted metadata such that the extracted metadata is associated with the first document.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 logic for determining that a second document is a modification of the first document; and   logic for preventing the storage of the second document if the second selected document is determined to be a modification of the first document.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a transmission queue on the first data storage for storing, if the first document is selected by the custodian, the first document prior to storing the first document on the second data storage; and   logic for transmitting the first document from the transmission queue to the second data storage.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the transmission queue is a third data storage, further comprising:
 transmitting to a the second data storage a list of information associated with the transmission queue; and   collecting the first document from the transmission queue by a processor coupled to the second data storage without action other than the transmission of the list by a second processor coupled to the first data storage.   
     
     
         15 . A computer programming product for the organization and collection of documents, comprising:
 a memory;   logic, stored on the memory for execution on a processor, for specifying a custodian of the plurality of documents, stored on a first data storage, subject to a document production request;   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for generating a graphical user interface that enables the custodian to select, in response to the document production request, a first document of the plurality of documents; and,   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for storing, if the first document is selected by the custodian, a copy of the first document and metadata associated with the first document in a second data storage such that the custodian does not have rights to the document and associated metadata stored on the second data storage.   
     
     
         16 . The computer programming product of  claim 15 , further comprising logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for generating chain of custody information corresponding to the first document, wherein, if the first document is selected by the custodian, the chain of custody information is stored in the second data storage in conjunction with the first document and associated metadata. 
     
     
         17 . The computer programming product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for the generation of a hold message corresponding to the plurality of documents; and   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for transmitting the hold message to the custodian.   
     
     
         18 . The computer programming product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for determining whether or not a non-metadata portion of a second document is identical to a non-meta portion of the first document;   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for transmitting to the second data storage the second document if the non-metadata portion of the second document does not match the non-metadata portion of the first document;   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for extracting the metadata portion of the second document if the non-metadata portion of the second document does match the non-metadata portion of the first document;   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for transmitting to the second data storage the extracted metadata; and   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for storing in the second data storage the extracted metadata such that the extracted metadata is associated with the first document.   
     
     
         19 . The computer programming product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for storing in a transmission queue, if the first document is selected by the custodian, the first document prior to storing the first document on the second data storage; and   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for transmitting the first document from the transmission queue to the second data storage.   
     
     
         20 . The computer programming product of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for determining that a second document is a modification of the first document; and   logic, stored on the memory for execution on the processor, for preventing the storage of the second document if the second selected document is determined to be a modification of the first document.