Forensic Service

FRE 902(14) authenticity declaration.

A signed forensic certification that self-authenticates your electronic evidence under Federal Rule of Evidence 902(14) — eliminating the need for a live foundational witness at trial.

Flat Fee

$500

Add-on to any collection

Delivery

With Evidence

Ready for court filing on delivery

Turnaround

1–3 Days

Delivered with your collection

What the declaration includes.

Signed certification by a credentialed forensic examiner (EnCE, MCFE, CCME)
Hash value verification (MD5 and SHA-256) confirming data integrity
Full chain-of-custody documentation
Examiner qualifications and methodology statement
Description of tools and processes used (Daubert-resistant)
Signed under penalty of perjury (28 U.S.C. § 1746)
Ready for court filing the day evidence is delivered
Examiner available to testify if the declaration is challenged

Included in All Bundles

Save $200–$225 with a bundle

All three all-in-one packages — Mobile, Chat, and Email Data Packages — include a FRE 902(14) declaration. Order the full package and skip the add-on math.

From $1,300 vs. $1,500 purchased separately

Who it's for

When a declaration matters most.

Any case where electronic evidence needs to be admitted at trial without calling a live witness.

Federal Civil Litigation

FRE 902(14) applies directly in all federal courts — get evidence trial-ready the day you receive it.

State Court Matters

Many state courts accept equivalent certifications — we'll confirm applicability for your jurisdiction during scoping.

Avoiding Expert Witness Costs

A signed declaration is a fraction of the cost of scheduling a live expert witness for a foundational hearing.

Pre-Trial Motion Practice

Supporting motions for summary judgment or opposing motions to exclude evidence — authentication objections handled.

Remote Custodians

When the person who produced the data is unavailable or uncooperative, a forensic declaration replaces their testimony.

Tight Trial Timelines

Evidence delivered with a signed declaration is court-ready immediately — no scheduling lag for expert availability.

Questions

About FRE 902(14) declarations.

What exactly does FRE 902(14) do?

Federal Rule of Evidence 902(14) allows electronically stored information to be self-authenticated through a written certification from a qualified person who certifies the process and tools used to generate the data. It was added to the FRE in 2017 specifically to reduce the burden of authenticating hash-verified digital evidence. A properly prepared declaration means you can offer the evidence at trial without calling a live foundational witness — opposing counsel is still free to challenge it, but the burden shifts to them to do so before trial.

Does FRE 902(14) apply in state courts?

FRE 902(14) is a federal rule, but many states have adopted identical or similar provisions. Utah, for example, follows the Federal Rules of Evidence closely in many respects. We'll discuss your specific jurisdiction during scoping and can draft the declaration in a form consistent with applicable state rules. Even where a specific rule doesn't exist, a signed forensic certification strengthens authentication arguments significantly.

Can you testify in court if opposing counsel challenges the declaration?

Yes. The examiner who performs the collection and signs the declaration is available to testify if needed. Expert witness and testimony fees are separate from the flat collection and declaration fee — we'll discuss rates during scoping so there are no surprises.

When is a declaration NOT enough — when is live expert testimony needed?

A FRE 902(14) declaration covers authentication — it establishes that the data is what it purports to be. If your case also requires expert opinion about what the data means (deleted file analysis, user attribution, malware analysis, or timeline reconstruction), that goes beyond authentication and typically requires an expert report and testimony under FRE 702. We'll flag this during the consult if the facts suggest you'll need more than a declaration.

See all FAQs

Need evidence that's trial-ready on delivery?

Add a FRE 902(14) declaration to any collection. Book a free 15-minute scoping call to confirm it's right for your matter.

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