What is defined as the process by which an opposing party may obtain private documents for use in litigation?

Discovery is the formal pre-trial legal process through which parties in litigation may compel the production of documents, records, and electronically stored information from an opposing party. It is governed by rules such as the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and is a foundational concept in both traditional litigation and eDiscovery within IT and compliance contexts.

Custody refers to the chain of custody - the documented control and transfer of evidence - not the broader process of obtaining documents from an opposing party.

A subpoena is a specific court order compelling testimony or document production, but it is a tool used within discovery, not the definition of the overall process itself.

Risk assessment is a security and compliance methodology for identifying and evaluating threats and vulnerabilities, entirely unrelated to litigation document collection.

Scope defines the boundaries of a project, audit, or engagement and has no connection to the legal process of obtaining private documents for litigation.