Electronic Discovery

When the University is a named party in a lawsuit — or when it “reasonably anticipates” a lawsuit being filed — the law requires the University to preserve any documents that may be relevant to the lawsuit. This process is often referred to as “document preservation.”

As the case progresses, other parties may ask the University to produce documents. The University then must search through the records it has preserved and provide the requested documents. This process is often referred to as “document discovery.”

The two links below lead to 1) a summary outline and 2) a more in-depth description of these two processes, both with an emphasis on electronically generated and stored records.

• Powerpoint: “What to Do When You Receive a ‘Litigation Hold’ Notice”
• Guidelines for E-Discovery at the UW