Build a chronology
Record events, dates, participants, and documents associated with each stage. A chronology identifies missing material and inconsistencies before a demand or claim is drafted.
Preserve the original
Do not rely on a cropped screenshot. Preserve contracts, invoices, original files, complete messages, email, and backups. Do not edit a file or alter its metadata to improve presentation.
Contact third parties promptly
If information is held by a security company, provider, bank, authority, or other third party, consider a lawful preservation request. A request does not guarantee production, but may prevent routine deletion while the proper method of obtaining the material is determined.
Document damage
Property damage, lost income, and expense require photographs, estimates, receipts, reports, and payment records. Distinguish loss already sustained from future estimates.
Concluding point
The best evidence is collected before positions harden and before systems automatically delete information.
Principal legal sources
- Evidence Ordinance [New Version], 5731-1971.
- Civil Procedure Regulations, 5779-2018.