Terms of Service

2. Scope and Priority of Specific Engagement Agreements

These Terms govern access to and informational use of the website and the general conditions of preliminary contact. The website does not provide direct online purchasing of professional services, does not operate a shopping cart or client account area and does not automatically create a professional engagement.

Any professional activity is governed by a separate written agreement, such as an accepted proposal, engagement letter, written order or other durable document. That agreement defines at least the scope, materials, activities, deliverables, timing, commercial terms, operating conditions and applicable information about personal-data processing.

Where there is a conflict, the specific engagement agreement prevails over these Terms for matters concerning the professional service actually commissioned. Later changes to this page do not unilaterally alter engagements already concluded.

4. Permitted Use of the Website

Users may access and use the website for lawful personal or professional purposes, in compliance with applicable law and the rights of the operator and third parties.

In particular, the following are not permitted:

• unauthorized access, attempts to bypass security measures or interference with website operation;
• use of automated systems that generate abnormal loads, bypass technical limitations or compromise availability or security;
• systematic extraction, reproduction or reuse of content in violation of applicable rights;
• use of the website or contact details for unlawful, deceptive, abusive or rights-infringing communications;
• attributing to the operator certifications, affiliations, accreditations or conclusions that have not been declared.

6. Submitted Materials and Responsibilities of the Requester

Anyone submitting recordings, documents or other material represents that they are entitled to provide the material and request its examination or, if acting on behalf of another person or organization, that they are duly authorized. The requester is responsible for the accuracy of information provided about provenance, available versions and known transformations.

Any confidentiality obligations, orders from competent authorities, restrictions on circulation of the material, non-disclosure agreements, data relating to children, health data, criminal-justice data or other information requiring particular safeguards should be disclosed before transfer.

The lawfulness of recording, retention, transfer or procedural use is not automatically presumed or established merely through technical examination. Where necessary, the requester should obtain independent legal advice.

Before submission, preserve the version closest to the recording or receipt event and avoid unnecessary cuts, filters, normalization, re-encoding or other modifications. Different versions should be kept separate.

8. Technical Nature of the Service and Limits of Conclusions

Work is performed within the agreed technical question, applicable competence and the material actually available. No guarantee is given that the outcome will support the client’s position, that a particular anomaly will be found, that words absent from the signal can be recovered or that a definitive conclusion will be possible.

A result may be limited, inconclusive or not practicable where quality, duration, compression, file history, recording channel, noise, lack of useful versions or insufficient comparison material do not support a stronger assessment.

Technical conclusions do not automatically determine legal authenticity, admissibility, liability, guilt, witness credibility or overall evidential weight. Those matters are determined by the persons and authorities competent under the applicable legal system.

10. Consumers and Distance Contracts

Where the client is a natural person acting for purposes outside their trade, business or profession and the engagement is concluded at a distance, the mandatory consumer protections applicable under Italian and European Union law apply, together with any other non-waivable protections that may be applicable.

Before the consumer is bound, the pre-contractual information required by law is provided on a durable medium and in clear language, including the characteristics of the service, identity and contact details of the professional, the total amount payable or the method by which it is determined, performance arrangements, duration, complaints procedure and withdrawal rights.

Subject to statutory exceptions, a consumer generally has fourteen days from conclusion of the contract to withdraw without giving a reason. Where applicable, withdrawal instructions and the model withdrawal form are provided with the engagement documentation.

If the consumer expressly requests that the service begin during the withdrawal period and later withdraws, the consumer may be required to pay an amount proportionate to the work performed up to the withdrawal notice, within the limits permitted by law. The right of withdrawal is lost after full performance only where performance began with the consumer’s prior express consent and acknowledgment that the right would be lost once the service had been fully performed.

This section does not replace the pre-contractual information and withdrawal documentation that must be provided for an individual distance contract where applicable.

12. Intellectual Property and Use of Documents

Original text, images, infographics, graphic elements, structure and content of the website are protected by applicable law. Links and short quotations are permitted within the limits of the law, with attribution and without altering the meaning.

Full reproduction, commercial reuse, removal of source attribution or use of content in a way that suggests non-existent approval, affiliation or certification requires authorization.

Ownership, licensing and permitted use of reports, processed files and other deliverables created for an engagement are governed by the specific agreement. Technical documents must not be modified, excerpted or presented in a way that alters their conclusions, conditions or limitations.

14. Governing Law, Complaints and Disputes

These Terms are governed by Italian law, without prejudice to any mandatory protections that may apply to the user under applicable law.

Complaints may be sent to info@audioforensicexpert.eu, identifying the subject, relevant communication or engagement reference and the remedy requested. The parties may attempt an amicable resolution before applying to the competent authority or court.

Consumers retain any right to use applicable alternative dispute-resolution procedures. General information on Italian ADR procedures is available from the Italian Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.

For disputes involving a consumer, the court of the consumer’s residence or domicile is competent where this is mandatorily required by law. For relationships with clients who are not consumers, ordinary jurisdiction and venue rules apply unless a different written agreement is made for the specific engagement.