FILTERING WORKFLOW
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method for processing computer readable electronic files in an investigation in a computer system including a processor coupled to a display and an electronic storage device coupled to the processor. The method includes the processor accessing the electronic files and related data from a data source. The accessed files and related data are culled by the processor based on predetermined filter criteria. The processor stores the remaining files and related data in a third-party data repository and maps a set of electronic files and related data stored in the third-party data repository into a predetermined database schema. The mapped files and related data are analyzed by the processor, which applies a status decision on them. The analyzed electronic files and related data are submitted to a third-party e-discovery processing application based on the applied status decision.
1 . A method for selecting electronic files associated with an investigation in a computer system including at least one processor, at least one electronic storage device coupled with at least one processor and at least one display coupled to the at least one processor comprising:
the at least one processor receiving at least one facet for the basis of the selecting and at least one value associated with each facet, the at least one facet including custodians of the electronic files, dates associated with the electronic files, e-mail domains associated with e-mails represented by the electronic files, file types of the electronic files, terms included within the electronic files, or current states of the electronic files or any combination thereof;
the at least one processor filtering for computer readable electronic files stored in the at least one electronic storage device meeting the at least one value associated with the at least one facet received by the at least one processor;
the at least one processor displaying on the at least one display metadata associated with the electronic files identified in the filtering;
the at least one processor causing contents of an electronic file selected based on the metadata to be displayed on the at least one display; and
the at least processor recording an indication from a user as to whether or not an electronic file is responsive to an investigation.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the investigation includes a discovery request.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein:
the at least one processor causes possible facets to be displayed on a first portion of the at least one display and enables a user to click on one or more facets to select one or more facets;
the at least one processor causes metadata related to electronic files identified by the filtering on a second portion of the at least one display and enables a user to select one or more of the electronic files; and
the at least one processor causes contents of the selected electronic files to be displayed on a third portion of the at least one display.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor causes a graphical representation of the electronic files to be displayed on the at least one display wherein nodes in the graphical representation represent communication addresses associated with the electronic files and lines between nodes represent a number and direction of communications between the communication addresses.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor causes file types of the electronic files to be displayed on the at least one display.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor causes a representation of a number of communications represented by the electronic files in a plurality of time segments over a period of time to be displayed on the at least one display.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor causes domains of the electronic files to be displayed on the at least one display.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor causes both the number of electronic files responsive to each selected facet and the number of electronic files responsive to each selected facet and no other selected facet to be displayed on the at least one display.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor performs filtering employing an SQL query.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one processor receives a sub-selection for further filtering of identified electronic files.
11 . A computer system for selecting electronic files associated with an investigation comprising:
at least one processor;
at least one electronic storage device coupled to the at least one processor; and
at least one display coupled to the at least one processor, wherein:
the at least one processor receives at least one facet for the basis of the selecting and at least one value associated with each facet, the at least one facet including domains of the electronic files, dates associated with the electronic files, e-mail domains associated with e-mails represented by the electronic files, file types of the electronic files, terms included within the electronic files, or current states of the electronic files, or any combination thereof:
the at least one processor filters for computer readable electronic files stored in the at least one storage device meeting the at least one value associated with the at least one facet received by the at least one processor;
the at least one processor displays on the at least one display metadata associated with the electronic files identified in the filtering;
the at least one processor causes contents of an electronic file selected based on the metadata to be displayed on the at least one display; and
the at least one processor records an indication from a user as to whether or not an electronic file is responsive to an investigation.
12 . The system of claim 11 wherein the investigation includes a discovery request.
13 . The system of claim 11 wherein:
the at least one processor causes possible facets to be displayed on a first portion of the at least one display and enables the user to click on one or more facets to select those facets;
the at least one processor causes metadata concerning electronic files identified by the filtering on a second portion of the at least one display and enables a user to select one or more of the electronic files; and
the at least one processor causes the contents of the selected electronic files to be displayed on a third portion of the at least one display.
14 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor causes a graphical representation to be displayed on the at least one display wherein nodes in the graphical representation represent communication addresses associated with electronic files and lines between the nodes represent a number and direction of communications between the communications addresses.
15 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor causes filter types of the electronic files to be displayed on the at least one display.
16 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor causes a representation of a number of communications represented by the electronic files in each of a plurality of time segments over a period of time to be displayed on the at least one display.
17 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor causes domains of the electronic files to be displayed on the at least one display.
18 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor causes both the number of electronic files responsive to each selected facet and the number of electronic files responsive to each selected facet and no other selected facet to be displayed on the at least one display.
19 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor performs filtering employing an SQL query.
20 . The system of claim 11 wherein the at least one processor receives a sub-selection for further filtering of identified electronic files.