digital forensics & expert analysis for attorneys, courts, & agencies

Zia Technology Solutions provides forensic case review, expert analysis, and expert witness services for legal professionals and public safety agencies across New Mexico and the surrounding region. Our work is built on defensible methodology — documented chain of custody, validated findings, and reporting that holds up under cross-examination.

Services:

  • Digital Evidence Case Review — Independent review of computer, cloud, social media, and communications evidence already collected in a case, including analysis of findings, methodology, and conclusions.

  • Mobile Device Case Review & Litigation Support — Review of previously extracted mobile device data for case strategy, deposition prep, and courtroom use. (Zia Technology Solutions does not perform mobile device extractions for the public; this service covers analysis and legal support only.)

  • Expert Analysis & Reporting — Technical findings translated into clear, court-ready reports for attorneys and non-technical stakeholders.

  • Expert Witness Testimony & Depositions — Qualified courtroom and deposition testimony on digital evidence, methodology, and findings.

  • Digital Forensics Program Development — For agencies building an in-house capability: intake and prioritization workflows, evidence controls, case tracking, SOPs, quality-review standards, and training.

  • Peer Review of Forensic Examinations — Independent quality review of completed examinations for agencies seeking a second opinion or accreditation-readiness check.

Pricing & retainers:

  • $150/hr

  • $200/hr

  • $300/hr (2-hr minimum) + lodging and per diem

  • Single cases: $200/hr

    Ongoing agreement: flat $500-15,000 per case

  • Flat project fee starting at $5,000 depending on scope

  • Starting at $1,500 (SOP maintenance, training, on-call consultation)

New legal engagements require a $250–500 non-refundable scoping fee, applied to a retainer of $1,500–2,500 before case work begins.

Meet your expert

View his resume: Digital Forensics CV

Austin Edwards is a digital forensics examiner and cyber investigator with 10+ years of investigative experience and 300+ examinations across mobile devices, computers, storage media, cloud accounts, social media accounts and more. He founded and leads the digital forensics capability at the Alamogordo Police Department, building evidence controls, case workflows, and training program from the ground up. He is recognized as a digital forensics expert by the Twelfth Judicial District Court. Austin holds certifications including Cellebrite Certified Physical Analyst (CCPA), Magnet GrayKey Qualified Investigator (MGQI), and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information Security Associate™.