Amid the exhaustive punditry and analysis concerning FBI Director James Comey’s startling disclosure of a rejuvenated Hillary Clinton criminal investigation, some critical questions seem to have gotten lost in the shuffle. Namely, what are the legalities involved when handling Anthony Weiner (or anyone else’s) laptop computer; and could Anthony Weiner’s lawyers have avoided this entire situation had they been more careful?
This week I posted an article answering these key questions, “Hidden Lessons from Anthony Weiner’s Laptop (Computer),” that comprehensively analyzes the multiple and complex legal issues relating to the Wiener laptop computer and offers some useful advice for managing these issues thoughtfully, cautiously, prudently and successfully.
My article is worth a read. Given in particular the CSI-like high-tech wizardry now routinely used by the government to collect, warehouse and review digital evidence, there has emerged a new field of legal expertise, where a mastery of precedent and criminal procedure is no longer enough to safeguard individual rights.
Nowadays, much more is required, including a comprehensive understanding of terabyte-storing devices and cloud servers; digital forensic and data analytics; electronic search protocols; and a host of other emerging evidentiary-related technological hardware and virtual procedures.