“PST…what’s in that file?”

PST files are "Personal File Folder" files created by Microsoft Outlook.

Beware! These files can contain far more than archived emails.

The unsuspecting attorney may be producing his client's calendar, contact database, viruses and much more!

Outlook – More than just email

One of the more popular email programs being used these days is Microsoft Outlook. Outlook is actually a bundle of programs performing a variety of tasks. Outlook has the following functions: Email, Calendar, Contact Database, Journal, Notes and a variety of other functions. Outlook stores backup copies of these files in a database with the extension “PST” (Personal Folder File) on servers, desktops, laptops and handheld machines. Similar databases exist on the email server. Sent emails may also be preserved as well as calen-dars, contact lists and tasks. PSTs and other email databases are highly customizable through options or switches (“toggles”) implemented by the end user or administrator. Messages may be automatically deleted a specified number of days after they are read – or they may be automatically archived without the knowledge of the end-user. If you receive a copy of a PST file, you’d do well to ask your Litigation Support Provider to see what else is there besides email. Frequently attorneys forward a PST file produced by a client to the other side of a litigation matter without fully understanding what’s actually there. But how often does that attorney look for any of the elements, other than email, which may be present in a PST file? It is entirely possible if not probable that privileged or confidential material has been inadvertently produced.

Where do you find PST Files?

Emails are files of digital data arranged in a specific order. They are stored in collections of email files. These collections are known as “post offices”, “mailboxes”, databases, datastores, information stores and other terms. One commonly used email client – a program that sends and receives email – is Microsoft Outlook. Another is Lotus Notes. A search of email databases on the server(s) and individual machines throughout the organization provides the greatest likelihood of recovering all copies of a particular email, which can be of critical importance when an opposing party claims they “can’t find” email you suspect should be there. Oftentimes the IT Director has copies of emails going back many years. On one recent case we worked on, the judge ordered the defendant to produce all email files in their possession. All six hundred and sixty thousand of them.

Specifically, a search of the entire email database(s) may reveal copies of allegedly missing emails that were forwarded to others or copied into responses and new messages. Massive email databases can be searched and indexed relatively quickly. Interesting patterns and information can be derived from the entire database. For example, in a sexual harassment action, an analysis of the email database established that the plaintiff distributed more sexually oriented email than any one else. Often, evidence of spoliation can be found in email database(s) that would not be available from any other source.

So how do I search a PST File?

There are different ways PST files may be searched. The first way is to restore the PST file to an Outlook Client on a machine in your office. Be careful. PST files can and oftentimes do contain viruses that may infect your entire network. A second, more desirable way is to have your Litigation Support provider convert the files to TIFF images. These images are then Bates Labeled, Text is extracted and fielded databases can be created. This eliminates the need to Print, Bates Label, Copy, Scan, OCR, and Code the emails. This allows you to screen for privilege and confidentiality without exposing your entire network to potentially catastrophic viruses and at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods!