Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
with.an.extremely.familiar.looking.product.and.started.com-
peting.with.her..Because.they.were.a.much.larger.and.more.
established. company,. they. had. a. considerable. advantage. in.
marketing.and.brand.recognition,.and.her.company.began.to.
quickly.lose.market.share.for.her.wonderful.invention.
At.this.point.she.sued.her.old.company,.the.defendants,.
alleging.that.they.had.stolen.the.patent.for.which.they.had.
given.up.their.rights.while.she.was.in.their.employ..She.had.
electronic. documentation. to. prove. her. assertions. including.
the. e-mails. mentioned. above. and. an. actual. document. that.
was.attached.to.one.of.the.e-mails.stating.that.they.released.
their.interest.
It. seemed.like. a.cut-and-dried.case. until.in.the.irst. days.
of.discovery.the.defendants.produced.e-mails.and.electronic.
documents.from.an.earlier.date.than.the.ones.she.had,.show-
ing.that.they.had.not.in.fact.released.their.interest.and.that.
they. asserted. their. ownership. of. the. patent. rights.. They.
threatened.a.countersuit.if.she.did.not.drop.her.case.
Now,.as.was.noted,.these.folks.had.an.established.com-
pany,. and. along. with. that. came. powerful. and. experienced.
legal. counsel. who. felt. pretty. assured. that. they. could. bully.
our.friend.the.plaintiff.into.giving.up.her.lucrative.patent.and.
bowing.to.their.superior.might..However,.this.is.a.good.illus-
tration.of.one.part.of.the.electronic.evidence.revolution.that.
we.have.not.really.dwelt.on.too.much.
In.some.cases.at.least,.it.can.enhance.the.justice.system.
by.creating.a.more.level.playing.ield..In.this.case,.because.
they.were.dealing.with.electronic.evidence.and.the.need.to.
prove.or.disprove.its.integrity,.both.sides.had.an.equally.good.
chance. of. prevailing. if. they. had. the. capacity. and. expertise.
available.to.prove.their.assertions.
Now.enter.the.forensics.experts.
The.truth.of.this.matter.rests.squarely.on.proving.the.integ-
rity.and.ownership.of.the.two.sets.of.documents.being.pre-
sented.with.opposing.conclusions..If.our.plaintiff.can.prove.
that. her. electronic. evidence. was. in. fact. created. when. and.
where.and.by.whom.she.is.asserting,.she.is.one.step.closer.to.
