Family Law
Digital forensics for family law matters.
Hidden cryptocurrency, deleted text messages, location history, spyware on a phone. We surface the digital evidence that family law matters often turn on.
Scoping note. We only examine devices and accounts that the retaining party has lawful authority to authorise — for example, a jointly owned device, the client's own device, or a device produced under court order. We do not access spousal-only accounts or devices without that authority.
Typical matters
Where we are most often retained.
- Divorce and matrimonial disputes
- Custody and parenting evidence
- Hidden asset and financial discovery
- Communication evidence preservation
- Cyber-stalking and harassment in family context
- Mobile device and cloud account review
Engagements we run
What this work looks like in practice.
- Mobile forensics to recover deleted text messages, photo and location metadata, app activity, and financial-app records.
- Computer forensics of laptops and home computers shared during the relationship.
- Spyware and stalkerware detection on devices where one party may have installed monitoring software.
- Communication evidence preservation for messages, emails, and social media activity relevant to the matter.
What clients tell us matters most
Priorities we hear from this industry.
Sensitivity to the human dynamic. Family matters are not commercial litigation. We approach every engagement with the awareness that the people involved are under stress.
Plain-English reports for the court and the client. Findings that a Provincial Court or BC Supreme Court judge can absorb without a technical primer.
Defensibility under cross-examination. Family matters often produce some of the most aggressive cross-examination of forensic experts. Our methodology is documented to that standard.
Discretion. No press releases, no LinkedIn posts about matters. We treat every family engagement as confidential by default.
Services we provide for family law
Most-engaged forensic services.
Mobile Forensics
iOS and Android extraction including chip-off, JTAG, and ISP techniques for damaged or locked devices that conventional tools cannot read.
Learn moreComputer Forensics
Forensic imaging and analysis of Windows, macOS, and Linux systems for litigation, internal investigations, and expert witness work.
Learn moreCloud Forensics
Defensible collection and analysis of Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, AWS, Slack, Teams, and Salesforce evidence under legal hold.
Learn moreExpert Witness
Court-qualified expert witnesses delivering affidavits, expert reports, and trial testimony in Canadian civil and criminal matters.
Learn moreCommon questions
Family Law questions we hear most.
Can deleted text messages be recovered for a family law matter?
Often, yes, when we have access to the device. The strength of recovery depends on the device, the iOS or Android version, and how recently the deletion occurred. A full file system extraction recovers the most.
How do you handle hidden cryptocurrency in a divorce?
Through a combination of forensic device examination (wallet apps, exchange app data, browser extensions, seed-phrase artifacts), bank record analysis (fiat-to-crypto on-ramp transactions), and where applicable, on-chain tracing supported by interrogatories or production orders directed at named exchanges.
What is stalkerware and how do you detect it?
Stalkerware is commercial monitoring software, often marketed as "parental control" or "employee monitoring," installed on a phone or laptop without the user's full knowledge. Detection involves examining installed apps, accessibility services, device admin permissions, and process activity. Some stalkerware variants leave persistent artifacts even after uninstall.
Will my spouse find out you examined the device?
Most forensic acquisitions are not detectable by the device user after the fact. Where the device must be returned to shared use, we document the acquisition window and any artifacts the user might notice (battery impact, recent activity timestamps).
Can a court order be required for me to forensically examine a device?
Sometimes. If the device is jointly owned, or if your access to it is contested, counsel may need to seek a preservation order or production order before forensic work begins. We work with counsel on this analysis at scoping.
Have a family law matter that needs digital evidence?
Tell us about the proceeding and what you need to prove. Our team will reach out as soon as possible.