Linux and Data Forensics?

An anonymous reader asks: "Data Forensics has been discussed in the past. I am entering the field soon and aside from rifling through Slashdot and Google and reading some technical data on the software that I am going to be using I haven't had much time to learn everything about the position (I will be officially trained when I move over to the role). I am wondering, though, if Linux has played a strong role in the courtroom when it comes to validating evidence that has been used in a lawsuit case. Those in the field who are reading this, have you used open-source software to prove facts to the court? I don't mean using dd to make an image of a disk but rather a suite of tools whose purpose is to analyze data, indicate relationships, create hash tables, et cetera. That being said, if that software is not available (the programmer side of me asks), is there enough interest in the community to create a package that rivals and is as accountable and recognizable as commercial products?"