Editing Computer forensics (section)

==Use as evidence==
In court, computer forensic evidence is subject to the usual requirements for [[digital evidence]]. This requires that information be authentic, reliably obtained, and admissible.<ref name="theadam"/> Different countries have specific guidelines and practices for evidence recovery. In the [[United Kingdom]], examiners often follow [[Association of Chief Police Officers]] guidelines that help ensure the authenticity and integrity of evidence. While voluntary, the guidelines are widely accepted in British courts.

Computer forensics has been used as evidence in [[criminal law]] since the mid-1980s. Some notable examples include:<ref name="casey"/>
* [[Dennis Rader|BTK Killer]]: Dennis Rader was convicted of a string of serial killings over sixteen years. Towards the end of this period, Rader sent letters to the police on a floppy disk.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Capture of Serial Killer Dennis Rader, BTK|url=https://www.psychologytoday.com/za/blog/wicked-deeds/202302/the-capture-of-serial-killer-dennis-rader-btk |website=Psychology Today}}</ref> [[Metadata]] within the documents implicated an author named "Dennis" at "Christ Lutheran Church," helping lead to Rader's arrest.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dooley|first=Sean|title=BTK serial killer's daughter: 'We were living our normal life... Then everything upended on us' |url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/btk-serial-killers-daughter-living-normal-life-upended/story?id=60428529 |website=ABC News}}</ref>
* [[Joseph Edward Duncan]]: A spreadsheet recovered from Duncan's computer contained evidence showing him planning his crimes. Prosecutors used this to demonstrate [[Premeditated murder|premeditation]] and secure the [[Capital punishment|death penalty]].<ref name="handbook"/>
* [[Sharon Lopatka]]: Hundreds of emails on Lopatka's computer led investigators to her killer, Robert Glass.<ref name="casey"/>
* [[Corcoran Group]]: In this case, computer forensics confirmed parties' duties to preserve [[digital evidence]] when [[litigation]] had commenced or was reasonably anticipated. Hard drives were analyzed, though the expert found no evidence of deletion, and evidence showed that the defendants intentionally destroyed emails.<ref name="casey"/>
* [[Dr. Conrad Murray]]: Dr. Conrad Murray, the doctor of [[Michael Jackson]], was convicted partially by digital evidence, including medical documentation showing lethal amounts of [[propofol]].
* [[Mark Twitchell]],  also known as the "Dexter Killer," Twitchell was convicted with the help of a deleted document recovered from his laptop titled "SKConfessions." This file, which detailed his criminal activities, served as a key piece of evidence in the case.