The gathering of facts and documents possessed by other parties or witnesses before trial in order to prepare arguments for trial.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
discovery (noun)1.
a) the act or process of - discovering
b) (1) archaic - disclosure
(2) obsolete - display
c) obsolete - exploration
2.
something - discovered
3.
the usually pretrial of pertinent facts or documents by one or both parties to a legal action or proceeding - disclosure
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
discovery (noun)1.
the act or process of sighting or learning the existence of something for the first time
SYNONYMS:
detection, finding, spotting, unearthingRELATED WORDS:
awareness, espial, notice; disclosure, exposure, revelation, uncovering, unveiling; creation, invention; exploration; rediscoveryNEAR ANTONYMS:
disappearance, loss; concealment, hiding2.
something discovered
SYNONYMS:
findRELATED WORDS:
pay dirt, strike, treasure trove; breakthrough