Litigation Support Services

AmDoc provides litigation support services to corporate general counsel offices and law firms.

These services are provided primarily on a contract basis - the GC or the law firm partners with AmDoc for services on a long-term basis. Dedicated project management, technical support and infrastructure is geared towards meeting the client's specific needs. Additionally, some project-based cases are processed for specific clients.

Services include:

• Scanning / Imaging
  
• Coding / Indexing
  
• On-Line Remote Coding
  
• Bates Numbering (manual and electronic)
  
• Document Preparation / Reconstruction
  
• Attorney Review Support (manual and on-line)
  
• Optical Character Recognition
  
• Optical Word Recognition
  
• Electronic Discovery
  
• Computer Forensics
  
• Redacting
  
• Paralegal Services
  
• Repository Management
  
• On-Site Document Capture - "Travel Teams"
  
• Hosted Retrieval
• Litigation Photocopying
  

AmDoc provides full-service support to attorneys, paralegals and end users involved in litigation or legal disputes of any nature.

By contracting with American Document Management, our clients receive customized service while taking advantage of mass-utilization capabilities and pricing.

Bates Numbering
Bates Numbering can be done either manually or electronically. Manual Bates Numbering can be performed with labels either with or without a bar code, and with or without human readable text that corresponds to the information contained within the bar code.

Electronic Bates numbers can either be assigned in standard or non-standard methods.

• Standard electronic Bates numbers require:
  
  • one source per container
    
  • all numbers increment one digit and are sequential
    
  • standard Bates numbering does not involve any link between a physical Bates number (label or stamp) and the electronic number
    
  • additions and deletions are re-numbered prior to releasing the batch after scanning
    
    
• Non-standard electronic Bates numbers can:
  
  • track gaps
    
  • utilize a link between a physical Bates number and the electronic number
    
  • have different source information within one container
    
  • track numbers in a non-sequential manner

Document Prep / Reconstruction
Document preparation is one of the most important tasks in a complex imaging or litigation project.

• Bindery elements [staples, paper clips, binder clips, etc.] are removed.
  
• Locations of bindery elements may be tracked should document relationships be important to the project.
  
• Sticky notes are affixed to plain paper in preparation for scanning.
  
• Double sided and odd-sized pages are noted.
  
• Page orientation is noted for those projects requesting image rotation.
  
• Document relationships are noted and tracked.
  
• Documents are prepared so that reconstruction is possible, should it be part of the project objectives.

After scanning and scanning QC, documents can be reconstructed and returned to their original containers. The original order and condition of the documents will be rebuilt and maintained.

Optical Character Recognition
AmDoc will convert all "typewritten" documents to computer-readable text for inclusion in the on-line retrieval system. This will allow users to find information utilizing either the coded data or the full-text. Issues and key words can be located in a more proficient, cost-effective manner.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology is not 100% accurate. AmDoc makes available a clean-up process that will examine and "clean-up" any incorrect text. However, modern retrieval systems usually have the ability to find documents even if they have been misspelled.

Optical Word Recognition
When full-text retrieval is critical, text conversion by iARCHIVES will be provided.
IARCHIVES conversion method increases recognition, as well as retrieval capabilities. Character recognition is performed against multiple conversion methodologies and "voting" algorithms.

After text conversion, the text for each document will be included in the coded database as part of the retrieval system. When a search is conducted on either the coded data, the full text or a combination of both the coded data and the full text, the resultant documents will link to the correct document image.
Final work product provides hit highlighting utilized with the IPRO Viewer. This allows users to see the "hit" word highlighted on actual TIF image, rather than only in the text.

Electronic Discovery
Electronic discovery document conversion involves the conversion of emails, email attachments and electronic documents into representative TIF images, extracted metadata for the database and full text of messages and documents.

AmDoc provides E-Discovery conversion services for most email systems, as well as most common electronic file formats.

In the past electronic documents have been opened electronically, printed out to hard copy, Bates numbered (if required), scanned and then coded. This process is extremely time consuming, as well as subject to human mistakes that must be corrected.

Electronic discovery processes by-pass the manual portion of these tasks. The electronic documents are converted "E-to-E" - Electronic to Electronic - taking electronic documents and automatically converting them for use in a retrieval system.

Images - Documents are converted to TIF or PDF images, just as if they had been printed. Electronic numbering may be utilized, both pre- and post-retrieval.

"Coding" - Meta data is the automatic indexing that occurs with electronic documents. Emails include the author, date authored, date sent, recipient, date opened, links to attachments and a host of other information. Other electronic documents include similar indexing. This information - the metadata - is converted to fields of information that may be imported into the retrieval system, just as if it had been coded manually.

Full Text - The full text of all electronic documents and emails is converted to the full-text field(s) within the retrieval system.

Computer Forensics
Computer hard drives contain key information. In some cases, significant information has been erased or deleted. Forensic computer scientists can now retrieve this information, as well as determine informational pedigrees.

When required, AmDoc can provide forensic assistance, as well as expert testimony.

In addition, tape conversion can be performed to extract information from legacy tape drives.

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