When a record disappears, a legal right does not vanish, but proving what happened can become much harder. Preserve the original file first. Then create a working copy and record where it came from, when it was received, and who handled it. Calculate a SHA-256 hash. Keep related emails, notices, screenshots, exports, report numbers, and delivery receipts together. Use clear filenames, an index, access notes, and two protected storage locations. Make an accessible copy when needed, but do not replace the original. A hash can show whether the same bytes changed; it cannot prove truth, completeness, authorship, or agency validation. A complaint number does not prove an investigation or finding. A missing record does not automatically prove intentional destruction. Preserve first, label carefully, and let independent reviewers test the evidence. Read the source-linked blueprint at david-medeiros.com.