How is Discovery sent?

There are two methods STAC uses to deliver discovery:

CIP Portal

Data Exchange

CIP Portal

The CIP portal is a secure website used to transfer all the discovery and evidence. There are no limits on how many files or how large these files can be. Once a file is uploaded to the Portal, an email is automatically sent to the recipient indicating there is a new file(s) waiting to be retrieved.

A recipient must have a free account at the CIP Portal. Once the recipient logs into the Portal, they will be able to see a list of files submitted in the last 30 days. This list contains the case number, the defendant’s name, the date the file was sent, and the download status for that file.

Once the recipient downloads a file for the first time, that information is sent back to STAC and an entry is added to the image tab indicating who downloaded the file and when the file was downloaded.

It is important to note that when a file is sent to the Portal, an email is sent to both the main email, and the CC email addresses on record. The idea is that for most recipients the CC email contains the address of a partner or assistant. For that reason, when a file is first downloaded, we also return the email address of the recipient that downloaded that file. At the portal, we also provide users to add their own collaborators, which are individuals who always receive a copy of all files sent to the main recipient.

Data Exchange

The exchange process is a secure method that transfers files between two agencies. In general, the exchange is always configured between SAO and PDO offices. There is a lot of data that can be sent between offices, but here we are going to concentrate on Discovery files exclusively.

When the discovery is sent on a case where the recipient is configured to receive Discovery via exchange, STAC will automatically send the file(s) to the other agency directly into their STAC.

Before discussing the specifics of this method, we need to cover a few details that are very important in this process.

• The first point is to understand if the case is created on both databases.
  

• The second point is to understand that a case may be created on both databases, but they are using different Uniform Case numbers (UCN).
  

• The last point is to understand whether the receiving agency has a translation table in place to translate the code from the sender to its own code when they don’t match.
  

It is important to remember that using the Image trigger to set up Image Review is very important in this process because this will tell users about new files as soon as they arrive.

Let’s look at a few examples where the SAO sends a file to the PDO and discuss the different scenarios:

Scenario	Results
A file is sent from the SAO to the PDO, both databases have the same case open, and the translation from the SAO code to the PDO code is correct.	In this case, the newly received file is automatically added to the Image tab without any intervention. It is very important the Image Review is configured to alert the APD or the secretary about the arrival of the new file
A file is sent from the SAO to the PDO, but the PDO has not opened that case yet.	The file received from the exchange will be waiting in the Import Module. Once the case is opened on the PDO DB, the file will be automatically moved into the newly created case. Again, it is very important to setup the image review, so users are notified of the new file
A file is sent from the SAO to the PDO, but the PDO does not have a translation in place to store the new file in the image tab.	The file received from the exchange will be waiting in the Import Module until a new translation code is added in the Exchange dictionary table. Once the code is added, the image will be automatically moved into the correct case. Again, it is important to setup the image review, so users are notified of the new file
A file is sent from the SAO to the PDO, but the PDO has configured the Exchange dictionary to discard that file.	As soon as the record arrives at the PDO, the system will automatically delete the file and it is never added to a case.

 3 ways to send discovery

STAC has a set of tools to facilitate the process of flagging and delivering discovery: from flagging the discovery that needs to be sent, to providing tools to indicate the recipient that downloaded the evidence. 

1. Files are sent automatically as soon as a record is flagged as discovery

2. Files can be flagged as discovery, but they are only sent after a specific Event is added to the case, then triggering all pending and future Discovery in the case to be sent

3. Files can be flagged as discovery, but they are only sent after a specific Event is added to the case, then triggering all pending Discovery in the case to be sent. If new Discovery is flagged after the special Event was added, then the new discovery will not be sent until the Special Event is added to the case again
   

Users are able to flag an image as Discovery through the right click menu in the Image tab and in the Image Review.

Once the record is flagged for discovery it will be sent. Depending on which method the agency has configured, the discovery might not be sent until after an Event is added to the case.

The default behavior is to send discovery records via the exchange when there are no DAT’s on a case.

Images that are flagged as Discovery in the Image Review screen will remain in the image review until the user marks the record as reviewed. Once the record is marked as reviewed, it will be added to the cases Image Tab and will already have the Discovery flag, so it can be sent after the event is added (if that is the method the agency uses for Discovery).

How to Undo the Discovery flag?

Because we all make mistakes, there is an option to “undo” the discovery flag in the right click menu.

The undo option is helpful when a record is flagged as discovery or shared via the CIP Portal.

Once a record is sent via the exchange, there is nothing we can do to get that file back.

If a record was uploaded to the Portal, but then we select the Undo option we will add an entry to the image log indicating the action was undone. However, if the recipient already downloaded the file, then we cannot undo the action.

The undo option will immediately remove the discovery flag, and this information will be visible on the image log.