Metadata in Document Examination

Reveal Hidden History Behind a Digital File

Metadata can reveal the hidden history behind a digital file—helping clarify when a document was created, how it was modified, and what software or devices may have been used. If a digital document is disputed or questioned, metadata analysis can help bring context to the facts.

When Would Someone Need Metadata Analysis?

Most people don’t think about metadata—until a digital document becomes part of a dispute, investigation, or legal matter.

You may need a forensic document examiner for metadata when a digital file is being questioned, such as a PDF, Word document, image, or scanned record, and you need help determining whether the file’s history supports (or contradicts) what someone is claiming.

Common situations include:

  • A document is alleged to be backdated or created earlier/later than stated

  • A file appears to have been edited after it was finalized

  • A PDF or digital form is suspected to be altered or manipulated

  • Someone disputes who authored a document or what device/software created it

  • A “final” document exists, but there are questions about versions and revision history

  • A digital record becomes important in civil, family, business, or employment disputes

What Metadata Can Help Clarify

Metadata is often described as “data about the data.” In plain terms, it may provide technical details about a file’s background—sometimes confirming timelines, and other times raising new questions.

Metadata analysis may help identify:

  • Creation and modification dates (depending on file type and context)
  • The software used to create or export the file (ex: Word, Adobe, scanner software)
  • File format details and embedded document properties
  • Indicators of versioning or re-saving behavior
  • Whether a file has been re-exported, re-scanned, or reconstructed
  • Other technical properties that may matter in a questioned document case

Important note: Metadata can be informative, but it isn’t always conclusive. Some metadata can be missing, overwritten, or altered depending on how the file was handled. A proper analysis considers metadata in context, alongside the document itself and the surrounding facts.

Metadata + Traditional Forensic Document Examination

Kathy’s work stays rooted in forensic document examination, but metadata is a different type of evidence—digital rather than physical.

Metadata evaluation may be used alongside:

  • questioned document examination
  • altered document concerns
  • signature comparison cases
  • fraud-related document disputes
  • cases involving printed/scanned copies vs. original electronic files

This approach helps ensure the digital side of a document isn’t overlooked when authenticity is being questioned.

Ready to work with Kathy?

When a document is disputed, you need clarity—especially when the stakes are legal, financial, or personal. Metadata analysis can provide another layer of insight into what happened behind the scenes of a digital file.

Kathy provides professional, careful analysis with clear communication, helping clients understand what the available information does—and does not—support.