Cyber · Investigations
Your phone or laptop was seized. Can you get it back?
What happens to devices after a search, how long it can take, and what you can ask for.
You are reading: What happens after the search
What happens after the search
Seized devices go to a forensic lab, where examiners make forensic images, bit-for-bit copies they search instead of the original. Labs are busy, and this step alone can take months.
What you can ask for
Your lawyer can ask the government to return devices or data it does not need, or to provide copies of business and personal files. If the request is refused, a motion for the return of property is sometimes possible.
What not to do
Do not log into cloud accounts linked to the seized devices, and do not wipe anything remotely. Those steps can look like destroying evidence even when they are innocent.
Why the warrant matters
The warrant sets what may be searched and seized. Examiners who go beyond it, or a chain of custody with gaps, can be challenged later. Keep the inventory receipt agents leave behind.
This article is general information about how federal matters usually work. It is not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Every situation turns on its own facts.