Definition

Electronically stored information (ESI) is any data created, stored, and managed electronically. It is often used in electronic discovery (e-discovery), where the parties must gather and exchange all relevant electronically stored information in the discovery phase of a legal proceeding.

ESI’s definition is usually very broad to avoid missing any evidence. ESI covers everything, including metadata that reveals the parties’ intentions. It can be retrieved from any electronic storage device, including solid-state drivers, hard drives, USB drives, optical discs, memory cards, and network-attached storage devices.

Electronically Stored Information Examples