What is a Legal Hold?

A Legal Hold is primarily a process for preserving information during ongoing litigation. This procedure ensures that relevant documents and data are not altered or destroyed, which is crucial for maintaining the integrity of information that may be needed as evidence in a legal case. When an organization anticipates that certain information could be relevant to a lawsuit, a Legal Hold is enacted to prevent the accidental loss or modification of that information, thereby supporting compliance with legal obligations to preserve necessary evidence.

Understanding the importance of a Legal Hold is vital for organizations to avoid sanctions or adverse legal consequences that can arise from failing to protect relevant information. Institutions often create policies and triggers for implementing a Legal Hold as part of their risk management and legal compliance strategies.