Systems and methods for implementing a query-based hold on electronic items hosted by a communication device and/or system. Electronic items from a plurality of user-specific folders are purged and copied to a discovery hold folder. The purged items, along with all existing items, contained within the discovery hold folder are evaluated against the query-based hold criteria. Items that fail to meet the query-based hold criteria are permanently deleted from the discovery hold folder. Items that meet the query-based hold criteria are maintained within discovery hold folder.