Digital Forensics: From Evidence to Courtroom

Digital forensics for the courtroom: evidence handling across mobile, video, IoT, and location data, the legal frameworks that govern it, and how it holds up in court. No technical background required.

Cybersecurity NDG
Free
Enroll

Free to claim through September 30, 2026, with 30 days of access once claimed. Pricing and availability can change at any time.

About this course

NDG Digital Forensics: From Evidence to Courtroom introduces digital forensics for the people who handle, adjudicate, or prosecute cases involving digital evidence. You'll work through guided labs in a virtual environment to examine evidence across four modern domains: mobile devices, video (CCTV, body cameras, dashcams), IoT devices (smart speakers, video doorbells, home automation), and vehicle tracking and location data. No prior technical experience is required.

The course follows the full evidence lifecycle: first-responder protocols, chain of custody, the legal frameworks governing collection (Fourth Amendment, ECPA, SCA), warrant drafting, and presenting evidence in court under the Daubert and Frye standards. A final challenge lab walks an end-to-end case from evidence identification through courtroom preparation.

Course Features

  • 12 modules (roughly 22 to 26 hours), each with readable content, labs, and quizzes
  • Guided and applied versions for every hands-on lab module
  • Practice with foundational forensic tools: Autopsy, ExifTool, and MediaInfo
  • Coverage of AI in forensics, including deepfake detection and the admissibility of AI-generated evidence
  • Built for law enforcement officers, attorneys, judges, paralegals, and aspiring forensics learners

What you'll learn

01 Identify digital evidence across mobile, video, IoT, and vehicle/location domains
02 Apply the legal frameworks that govern evidence collection, including the Fourth Amendment, ECPA, and SCA
03 Follow first-responder protocols so digital evidence isn't lost or excluded
04 Draft warrant language for phones, cloud accounts, IoT devices, and location data
05 Examine evidence with Autopsy, ExifTool, and MediaInfo in a guided lab environment
06 Recognize how digital evidence is authenticated and challenged under Daubert and Frye

Course outline

3 modules · 30 labs

Content

12 items

Module 01: Introduction to Digital Forensics

Module 02: The Digital Evidence Landscape

Module 03: Legal Frameworks for Digital Evidence

Module 04: First Responder Protocols

Module 05: Mobile Device Evidence

Module 06: Video Evidence

Module 07: IoT and Smart Device Evidence

Module 08: Vehicle Tracking and Location Data

Module 09: Drafting Warrants for Digital Evidence

Module 10: AI and Emerging Technology in Digital Forensics

Module 11: Digital Evidence in the Courtroom

Module 12: Comprehensive Review and Case Simulation

Guided Labs

9 items

Guided Lab 01: Introduction to Digital Forensics

Guided Lab 02: The Digital Evidence Landscape

Guided Lab 04: First Responder Protocols

Guided Lab 05: Mobile Device Evidence

Guided Lab 06: Video Evidence

Guided Lab 07: IoT and Smart Device Evidence

Guided Lab 08: Vehicle Tracking and Location Data

Guided Lab 10: AI and Emerging Technology in Digital Forensics

Guided Lab 11: Digital Evidence in the Courtroom

Applied Labs

9 items

Applied Lab 01: Introduction to Digital Forensics

Applied Lab 02: The Digital Evidence Landscape

Applied Lab 04: First Responder Protocols

Applied Lab 05: Mobile Device Evidence

Applied Lab 06: Video Evidence

Applied Lab 07: IoT and Smart Device Evidence

Applied Lab 08: Vehicle Tracking and Location Data

Applied Lab 10: AI and Emerging Technology in Digital Forensics

Applied Lab 11: Digital Evidence in the Courtroom

What's in this course

Lab Exercises
Assessments
Questions

Prerequisites

  • No prior technical or digital forensics experience required
  • Basic computer literacy (navigating a desktop, opening files, using a web browser)

Best for

  • Law enforcement officers, first responders, and detectives who encounter digital devices at the scene
  • Prosecutors, defense attorneys, judges, and magistrates handling cases with digital evidence
  • Forensic paralegals, legal technology consultants, and eDiscovery staff
  • Criminal justice students and entry-level fraud or insurance investigators

Resources

Common questions

Do I need a technical or forensics background?

No. This is a foundational course written in plain language for justice-system professionals. You need only basic computer literacy: opening files, using a web browser, and navigating a desktop.

What digital evidence does the course cover?

Mobile devices, video (CCTV, body cameras, dashcams, and doorbells), IoT and smart-home devices, and vehicle and location data (license plate readers, GPS, and cell-site location). A dedicated module covers AI and deepfake evidence.

Which certifications does the course map to?

It maps to foundational objectives from IACIS CFCE, ISFCE CCE, GIAC GCFE, and EC-Council CHFI, and to CompTIA Security+. It also aligns with the NICE Framework, NIST SP 800-86, SWGDE standards, and DOJ electronic-evidence guidance.

How is this course different from NDG Forensics v2?

NDG Forensics v2 is a technical course for IT and security professionals who perform forensic analysis. Digital Forensics: From Evidence to Courtroom is the foundational course for the justice system: it teaches officers, attorneys, judges, and students how digital evidence works and how it holds up in court, with no technical prerequisites.