Attorney Terminal Having Outline Preparation Capabilities For Managing Trial Proceedings

• US 20070265871A1
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1993
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Engate LLC
• Original Assignee: Engate, Inc.
• Inventors: Bennett, James, Jarvis, Lawrence
• Granted Patent: US 7,831,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/338 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/04 Segmentation; Word boundary detection
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides attorney terminals which operate using an outline for storing, associating and managing case evidence, case law and work product for a given lawsuit at issue. Accessed through attorney terminals, the outline is structured based on a hierarchical categorization of the lawsuit into the law and fact at issue. Associated with each categorization entry in the hierarchical outline are groupings of case law, case evidence, relevance and draft discovery information for rapid access by the attorney. Each categorization entry in the tailored outline provides instant access to case law via headnotes, treatise selections, seminal cases, and preset searches. The disclosed invention also automatically: 1) tracks the use of Exhibits in a proceeding; 2) generates draft portions of a pretrial order including jury instructions; and 3) generates time-lines for analysis and use during a proceeding. Draft interrogatories, document requests and deposition or trial questions are also provided.

Claims

1. In a computer network having an attorney terminal and an outline library, a method used by the attorney terminal for preparing for examination of a witness in a legal proceeding comprising the steps of:

providing access to an outline library comprised of a plurality of categorization entries;

enabling selection of at least one of said plurality of categorization entries; and

providing access to the selected ones of said plurality of categorization entries during a legal proceeding.

2-5. -5. (canceled)