BASALT · JOURNAL
PDF redaction before discovery production
Discovery production requires more than hiding names. Reviewers must identify privilege, personal identifiers, trade secrets, and production-format requirements while preserving the context needed to understand the record.
Build a review matrix
Define issue codes, page-level rules, and escalation paths before marking documents. Distinguish privileged material from privacy redactions and from information that should be withheld entirely. Keep the original and a structured review record under controlled access.
Search, inspect, and sample
Search known identifiers in multiple formats, but do not rely on search alone. Review scans, tables, charts, signatures, attachments, comments, OCR layers, and metadata. Sample completed documents for both false positives and missed occurrences before a large production.
Validate the production set
Reopen exported PDFs, search for removed terms, inspect page counts, confirm Bates numbers, and check that the output format matches the protocol. Verify that no embedded original, comment, or hidden layer defeats the redaction.
Frequently asked questions
Should every occurrence of a name be redacted?
No. Apply the review rule consistently and preserve context where identity is not protected by the instruction.
Is OCR enough for scanned discovery documents?
No. OCR helps find candidates, but visual review is needed for missed or misread text and images.
What is a production-quality verification pass?
It checks content, page order, metadata, attachments, redaction permanence, numbering, and protocol-specific requirements.
Doing it in Basalt
Basalt supports local PDF search, destructive redaction, batch review, and independent verification for sensitive production copies. Download Basalt.
Redaction that proves itself
Basalt destroys the content you mark, then re-opens the file it wrote and proves the content is gone before it saves anything. Your documents never leave your Mac.