Forensic imaging is the process of creating an exact, bit-for-bit copy of a device's storage so investigators can analyze the data without altering the original. Examiners use tools like Cellebrite, Magnet Axiom, and EnCase to generate a hash value that proves the copy matches the source. If the hash values do not match, if the original was written to during seizure, or if the chain of custody has gaps, the integrity of the evidence can be challenged. A defense digital forensics expert often reviews the state's work and identifies errors that non-technical prosecutors miss. In Rhode Island computer crime cases, the quality of the imaging process is frequently the difference between a dismissed case and a conviction. This is one of the reasons you want a lawyer who has actually litigated digital evidence, not just touched it in a plea.