Attorney terminal having outline preparation capabilities for managing trial proceedings

• US 7,831,437 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2006
• Issued: 11/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Engate LLC
• Original Assignee: Engate LLC
• Inventors: Jarvis, Lawrence M., Bennett, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elisca; Pierre E
• Application Number:
  US11/559,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20070265871A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,457 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/1.1
• 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 a terminal device and an outline library, a method of generating an outline for managing a legal proceeding, the method comprising:

storing, in at least one database, an outline library comprising a plurality of categorization entries;

displaying, via a display device associated with a terminal device that is operatively coupled to the at least one database via a communication link, one or more queries relating to a legal proceeding;

generating, based in part on information received in response to the one or more queries, an outline that includes one or more of the plurality of categorization entries from the outline library relevant to the legal proceeding; and

displaying the outline via the display device associated with the terminal device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing a Complaint based in part on the information received in response to the one or more queries.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

constructing an Answer based in part on the information received in response to the one or more queries.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to add, to the outline, one or more of the plurality of categorization entries from the outline library.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling a user to remove, from the outline, one or more of the plurality of categorization entries.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of categorization entries in the outline library correspond to areas of law.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more of the plurality of categorization entries in the outline library correspond to areas of fact.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each categorization entry in the plurality of categorization entries in the outline library further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein each information grouping comprises one or more pointer structures corresponding respectively to one or more stored data items.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein one information grouping comprises a relevance query grouping, the relevance query grouping including one or more pointer structures corresponding respectively to one or more stored textual queries used to determine whether a particular categorization entry is relevant to the legal proceeding.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a headnote pointer structure corresponding to stored headnotes that provide an overview of the area of law.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a pointer structure corresponding to stored burdens of proof relating to the area of law.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a seminal case pointer structure corresponding to a stored seminal case or cases relating to the area of law.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a treatise pointer structure corresponding to one or more stored sections of one or more selected treatises relating to the area of law.

15. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a discovery grouping, the discovery grouping including a draft interrogatory pointer structure corresponding to stored draft interrogatories relating to the area of law.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a discovery grouping, the discovery grouping including a draft document request pointer structure corresponding to stored draft document requests relating to the area of law.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a pretrial grouping, the pretrial grouping including a pointer structure corresponding to a stored set of jury instructions relating to the area of law.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings including a case evidence grouping, the case evidence grouping including an interrogatory pointer structure corresponding to a stored set of served interrogatories and responses thereto.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings including a case evidence grouping, the case evidence grouping including a pointer structure corresponding to a stored set of questions and corresponding answers recorded during a deposition or trial proceeding.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings including a case evidence grouping, the case evidence grouping including a work product pointer structure corresponding to one or more stored attorney documents.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the display device associated with the terminal device, one or more documents; and

enabling a user to associate a displayed document with one or more of the plurality of categorization entries of the outline.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

enabling the user to add textual annotations to a displayed document.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings, each information grouping comprising one or more pointer structures corresponding respectively to one or more stored data items.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

storing the outline in the outline library.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein storing the outline further comprises:

storing the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, without information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein storing the outline further comprises:

storing the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, including information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

27. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

storing the outline in a memory associated with the terminal device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein storing the outline further comprises:

storing the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, without information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein storing the outline further comprises:

storing the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, including information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

30. A system for generating an outline for managing a legal proceeding, comprising:

at least one database storing an outline library, the outline library comprising a plurality of categorization entries; and

a terminal device that is operatively coupled to the at least one database via a communication link;

wherein the terminal device is configured to;

display, via a display device associated with the terminal device, one or more queries relating to a legal proceeding; and

display, via the display device, an outline generated based in part on information received in response to the one or more queries, wherein the outline includes one or more of the plurality of categorization entries from the outline library relevant to the legal proceeding.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the terminal device is further configured to:

display, via the display device, a Complaint constructed based in part on the information received in response to the one or more queries.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the terminal device is further configured to:

display, via the display device, an Answer constructed based in part on the information received in response to the one or more queries.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the terminal device is further configured to:

enable a user to add, to the outline, one or more of the plurality of categorization entries from the outline library.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the terminal device is further configured to:

enable a user to remove, from the outline, one or more of the plurality of categorization entries.

35. The system of claim 30, wherein one or more of the plurality of categorization entries in the outline library correspond to areas of law.

36. The system of claim 30, wherein one or more of the plurality of categorization entries in the outline library correspond to areas of fact.

37. The system of claim 30, wherein each categorization entry in the plurality of categorization entries in the outline library further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein each information grouping comprises one or more pointer structures corresponding respectively to one or more stored data items.

39. The system of claim 37, wherein one information grouping comprises a relevance query grouping, the relevance query grouping including one or more pointer structures corresponding respectively to one or more stored textual queries used to determine whether a particular categorization entry is relevant to the legal proceeding.

40. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a headnote pointer structure corresponding to stored headnotes that provide an overview of the area of law.

41. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a pointer structure corresponding to stored burdens of proof relating to the area of law.

42. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a seminal case pointer structure corresponding to a stored seminal case or cases relating to the area of law.

43. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a case law grouping, the case law grouping including a treatise pointer structure corresponding to one or more stored sections of one or more selected treatises relating to the area of law.

44. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a discovery grouping, the discovery grouping including a draft interrogatory pointer structure corresponding to stored draft interrogatories relating to the area of law.

45. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a discovery grouping, the discovery grouping including a draft document request pointer structure corresponding to stored draft document requests relating to the area of law.

46. The system of claim 37, wherein, for a categorization entry corresponding to an area of law, one information grouping comprises a pretrial grouping, the pretrial grouping including a pointer structure corresponding to a stored set of jury instructions relating to the area of law.

47. The system of claim 30, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings including a case evidence grouping, the case evidence grouping including an interrogatory pointer structure corresponding to a stored set of served interrogatories and responses thereto.

48. The system of claim 30, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings including a case evidence grouping, the case evidence grouping including a pointer structure corresponding to a stored set of questions and corresponding answers recorded during a deposition or trial proceeding.

49. The system of claim 30, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings including a case evidence, grouping, the case evidence grouping including a work product pointer structure corresponding to one or more stored attorney documents.

50. The system of claim 30, wherein the terminal device is further configured to:

display, via the display device, one or more documents; and

enable a user to associate a displayed document with one or more of the plurality of categorization entries of the outline.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the terminal device is further configured to:

enable the user to add textual annotations to a displayed document.

52. The system of claim 30, wherein each categorization entry in the outline further includes a hierarchical framework of information groupings, each information grouping comprising one or more pointer structures corresponding respectively to one or more stored data items.

53. The system of claim 52, wherein the outline is stored in the outline library.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the stored outline comprises the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, without information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

55. The system of claim 53, wherein the stored outline comprises the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, including information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

56. The system of claim 52, wherein the outline is stored in a memory associated with the terminal device.

57. The system of claim 56, wherein stored outline comprises the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, without information comprising the corresponding stored data items.

58. The system of claim 56, wherein the stored outline comprises the hierarchical framework of information groupings and associated pointer structures for the categorization entries comprising the outline, including information comprising the corresponding stored data items.