How much does a digital forensics expert witness cost?

Expert witness rates at The Waldrep Company start at $350/hour for case review and document analysis. Deposition appearances start at $450/hour, and trial testimony starts at $500/hour. A detailed fee agreement is provided at engagement initiation. Free initial case consultations are available by phone.

Do you require a retainer to start?

Yes. Most engagements require an initial retainer deposit, typically representing 4–8 hours of work depending on case complexity. The retainer is applied against billed time and is fully transparent. Retainer clients receive priority scheduling and guaranteed 4-hour incident response.

What is included in the free consultation?

The initial phone consultation is complimentary and typically 15–30 minutes. We discuss the nature of the digital evidence, the legal context, and whether our services are a fit. No fee is charged for the initial call.

Fee Schedule

Transparent Rates for Every Engagement

No surprises. No hidden fees. A detailed fee agreement is provided before any work begins. Initial consultations are always free.

Free initial case consultation | Written fee agreement provided upfront | All billing itemized

Expert Witness Fee Schedule

Rates reflect 17+ years of active casework, 200+ cases, and a 100% court qualification rate. These are the same rates paid by AmLaw firms, federal prosecutors, and defense counsel nationwide.

Case Review

Initial Case Review & Strategy

from $350 / hour

Review of existing digital evidence and police reports
Assessment of forensic methodology used by opposing examiner
Written case strategy memo
Identification of evidence gaps and vulnerabilities
Consultation with retaining counsel

Minimum 2-hour engagement. Retainer required at intake.

Report & Analysis

Forensic Examination & Expert Report

from $375 / hour

Full forensic imaging and chain-of-custody documentation
Complete artifact extraction and analysis
Court-ready expert report (Rule 26 / Daubert compliant)
Supporting exhibits and visual timelines
Report review with retaining counsel
Standard engagements begin within 3–5 business days

Report fees depend on device count and data volume. Fixed-fee options available for straightforward matters.

Testimony

Deposition & Trial Testimony

from $450 / hour

Deposition testimony (4-hour minimum billing block)
Trial testimony billed from $500/hour
Pre-testimony prep session with counsel
Travel billed at half-rate; expenses reimbursed at cost
Available nationwide — Gulf Coast to federal courts
Expedited scheduling available for urgent matters

Cancellations within 48 hours of scheduled testimony are billed at 50% of reserved time.

All Services at a Glance

Market context: The national median expert witness rate is $450–$475/hour for depositions (SEAK 2024 Fee Study). Our rates reflect elite credentials — State Department ATA Cyber Mentor, MCFE certified — at competitive market pricing.

Service	Details	Rate
Initial Case Consultation Phone or video — up to 30 minutes	Discuss case facts, assess fit, outline scope	Free
Case Review & Analysis Evidence review, opposing report critique	Hourly; 2-hour minimum	$350/hr
Forensic Examination Mobile, computer, cloud, or network	Hourly; fixed-fee available for defined scope	$375/hr
Expert Report (Rule 26) Court-ready written report with exhibits	Included in exam rate; complex cases quoted separately	$375/hr
Declaration / Affidavit Short-form sworn statement for motions	Flat fee for standard declarations	From $800
Deposition Testimony Sworn testimony under cross-examination	4-hour minimum billing block	$450/hr
Trial Testimony In-court testimony, direct & cross	Full-day reserved; half-day minimum billed	$500/hr
Rebuttal Report Response to opposing expert's report	Hourly; typically 3–8 hours depending on complexity	$375/hr
Expedited Engagement Start within 24 hours of retainer receipt	25% surcharge on applicable hourly rates	+25%
Travel (domestic) Outside Gulf Coast region	Travel time at half-rate; expenses reimbursed at cost	$175/hr travel

Service

Details

Rate

Initial Case Consultation

Phone or video — up to 30 minutes

Discuss case facts, assess fit, outline scope

Free

Case Review & Analysis

Evidence review, opposing report critique

Hourly; 2-hour minimum

$350/hr

Forensic Examination

Mobile, computer, cloud, or network

Hourly; fixed-fee available for defined scope

$375/hr

Expert Report (Rule 26)

Court-ready written report with exhibits

Included in exam rate; complex cases quoted separately

$375/hr

Declaration / Affidavit

Short-form sworn statement for motions

Flat fee for standard declarations

From $800

Deposition Testimony

Sworn testimony under cross-examination

4-hour minimum billing block

$450/hr

Trial Testimony

In-court testimony, direct & cross

Full-day reserved; half-day minimum billed

$500/hr

Rebuttal Report

Response to opposing expert's report

Hourly; typically 3–8 hours depending on complexity

$375/hr

Expedited Engagement

Start within 24 hours of retainer receipt

25% surcharge on applicable hourly rates

+25%

Travel (domestic)

Outside Gulf Coast region

Travel time at half-rate; expenses reimbursed at cost

$175/hr travel

Consulting & Retainer Rates

From single-day advisory engagements to annual retainer agreements for law firms and corporations requiring on-demand forensic expertise.

Ad Hoc Consulting

Advisory & Incident Response

from $2,500 / day

On-site or remote engagement
Digital forensics advisory for legal or corporate clients
Incident response investigation and triage
Policy and procedure review
Half-day rate available at $1,400

Minimum one full day for on-site engagements.

Retainer

Annual Retainer Agreement

from $2,000 / month

Guaranteed 4-hour initial response to incidents
Priority scheduling ahead of non-retainer clients
Preferred hourly rates on all billed work
Monthly forensic advisory hours included
Ideal for law firms, corporations, and insurance carriers
Annual agreements discounted vs. monthly

Custom retainer structures available. Contact us to discuss scope and SLA requirements.

Government / International

Government & Agency Consulting

By Scope

Program development for law enforcement agencies
Digital forensics capacity building
SOP and policy development
Multi-week and multi-country engagements
GSA / government procurement compatible
References: U.S. State Dept. ATA Program

Government and international contracts priced by project scope. Sole-source and competitive bid experience.

Training Course Pricing

Commercial 5-day forensics courses from comparable providers range from $2,500–$3,500/seat. Our pricing reflects practitioner-level instruction, not academic curriculum.

5-Day Intensive

UAS / Drone Forensics

$2,800 per seat

Duration5 days (40 hours)

FormatIn-person (on-site delivery available)

Group rate (10+)$2,200/seat

Agency/dept. contractCustom pricing

Certificate awardedYes

3-Day Course

Mobile Device Forensics

$1,800 per seat

Duration3 days (24 hours)

FormatIn-person or live virtual

Group rate (8+)$1,400/seat

Tools coveredCellebrite UFED, Magnet AXIOM, GrayKey

Certificate awardedYes

Custom

Custom Agency Training

By Scope

Duration1–10 days, custom

FormatOn-site at your facility

AudienceLE, military, corporate, government

CurriculumBuilt to your agency's needs

Past clientsU.S. State Dept. ATA partner agencies

What's Always Included

Regardless of engagement type, every client receives the same standard of transparency, documentation, and personal service.

Written Fee Agreement

A clear, itemized fee agreement is provided before any billable work begins. No surprises on the invoice.

Free Initial Consultation

A 15–30 minute phone consultation to assess your case and determine fit — at no charge, no obligation.

Full Confidentiality

All case details, evidence, and client communications are treated as confidential from first contact.

Direct Access to Eric Waldrep

Every engagement is handled personally — not delegated to a junior examiner. You speak directly with the expert.

Itemized Billing

All invoices are fully itemized by task and time. Retainer balances reported on every invoice.

Fast Turnaround

Standard engagements begin within 3–5 business days. Expedited 24-hour start available for urgent matters.

Ready to Discuss Your Case?

The initial consultation is free. We'll assess your case, answer your rate questions, and provide a written scope and fee estimate — no obligation.

Free consultation · Written fee agreement before any work begins · No obligation