The Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (FRCP) govern court procedures for civil suits brought in federal courts. Rules 26 and 34 of the FRCP specifically cover discovery and disclosure of information that is relevant to civil suits.
Discovery is the part of the litigation process in which opposing parties exchange relevant information and testimony. Discovery helps both sides understand the facts and evidence before the trial starts. On April 12, 2006 the Supreme Court approved proposed amendments to these rules to address discovery issues that are unique to electronic discovery.
[...] In general, the resulting 300-plus page document describing the new e-discovery criteria says that companies involved in civil litigation must meet within the first 30 days of a case’s filing to discuss how to handle electronic data. The discussion must encompass retention practices, the types of records required and their electronic format, as well as what is considered “accessible” data, said John Bace, an analyst at Gartner Inc. in Stamford, Conn. [...]
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