Judicial appraisal of electronic data can be broadly categorized into two types, i.e., the discovery-based appraisal and the analysis-based appraisal. Due to its equivalence in function with electronic data collection, extraction, and inspection measures, the discovery-based appraisal is often used by public security authorities to replace investigators’ evidence collection. The analysis-based appraisal is supposed to be the final stage in the progressive structure of the collection extraction, inspection, and judicial appraisal of electronic data evidence. However, since the appraisers sometimes combine the functions of collection, extraction, inspection, and judicial appraisal of electronic data, there is also a concern that appraisal may inappropriately replace the investigative process. This practice mainly stems from the mismatch between public security authorities’ investigative evidence collection capabilities and the regular, specialized demands for electronic data evidence collection. Although rational to a certain extent, this practice still blurs the legal boundary between investigative evidence collection by investigative personnel and judicial appraisal by appraisers, thus not only circumvents the systemic constraints of criminal justice on investigative evidence collection measures, but also weakens the independence of judicial appraisal of electronic data. To address the trend towards the expansion of judicial appraisal of electronic data, it should firstly, reduce or avoid discovery-based appraisal by improving the expert assistance system for evidence collection at the stage of collection of electronic data, and secondly, prevent self-collection and self-appraisal by reasonably limiting the scope of electronic data extracted as appraisal materials by appraisers in analysis-based appraisal, thus ensuring the objectivity and independence of judicial appraisal. |