Method for improving document review performance

• US 8,972,845 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 03/03/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jianqing Wu
• Original Assignee: Jianqing Wu
• Inventors: Wu, Jianqing
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN S
• Application Number:
  US13/527,581
• Publication Number:
  US 20130013996A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 715/227, 707/608, 707/200, 707/999.2, 707/736, 707/737, 707/738, 707/740, 707/751, 707/758
• US Class Current: 715/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/93 Document management systems

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for accurately coding documents for a legal matter. The method, if used by experienced and motivated document reviewers, has the potential to dramatically improve adjusted review consistency, reduce coding errors, and produce the best review product. The method can also result in useful case history files, which are useful to litigation attorneys in every phrase of litigation including motion argument, merit trial, appeal, and future litigation.

Claims

1. A method for improving document review performance for a legal proceeding or legal matter by a plurality of users or document reviewers on client computers connected to a server, the method comprising steps of:

dividing elementary facts into a plurality of table types or main types and sub-types, and setting up at least one table for storing coding rules and elementary facts specifically for the proceeding or matter, each of the coding rules having an effective date, and each of the elementary facts having an effective date;

generating a document review user interface for each of the users on the user'"'"'s client computer so that each user can review documents on the document review user interface;

generating a discovery-assisting user interface for searching and retrieving data from the at least one table and for adding data to the at least one table, the discovery-assisting user interface being used by the users who review documents; and

reviewing documents in a sequential order by each of the users, coding for each document, and saving coded data for each document on the server,

wherein, each of the users, after reviewing a document and before coding for the document, uses the discovery-assisting user interface to search coding rules and elementary facts from the at least one table, retrieves one or more coding rules and elementary facts for guidance, and coding the document and/or adding a coding rule and/or an elementary fact in the at least one table for immediate access.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the discovery-assisting user interface for the at least one table is generated by a separate information management system run by a separate server.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising steps for generating an edit table web page for editing data records from the at least one table, adding data records in the at least one table, deleting existing data records from the at least one table, copying and pasting data records, changing data records, and/or saving new and changed data records in the at least one table.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of validating an existing data record for a coding rule or elementary fact by a user'"'"'s click on a validation button or by casting a vote.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the discovery-assisting user interface for the at least one table is generated by the server.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising a step of validating an existing data record from the at least one table by clicking a button or by casting a vote on the discovery-assisting user interface.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein some of the users have user privilege to enter elementary facts while other users have user privilege to enter, edit and validate coding rules.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a reconciling review for the documents which are selected by using words used in coding rules and elementary facts as keys to search previously reviewed documents, and by selecting those documents that were coded before effective dates of respective coding rules and elementary facts.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step for generating an index table which shows latest changes in coding rules and elementary facts so that each of the users can immediately know all changes and latest changes.

10. A method for conducting document review by a group of users on client computers connected to a document review system, each client computer being used by one of a group of users, the method comprising steps of:

customizing at least one table for storing coding rules and/or elementary facts specifically for any particular legal matter or legal proceeding;

generating a document review user interface for each of the users reviewing documents;

generating discovery-assisting user interface, which comprises an interactive search page, which is able to display a data record a user has selected during an interactive search, and allows each user to validate data records, enter data records, and/or conduct global searches; and

retrieving data records from the at least one table, associating a data-validating submission button with a data record on a search result page, validating data records for the at least one table, and adding data records to the at least one table,

wherein, each of the users uses the discovery-assisting user interface to interactively search coding rules and/or elementary facts from the at least one table, retrieve found coding rules or elementary facts for guidance, and coding for documents under review by using the document review user interface and/or add coding rules or elementary facts in the at least one table for real-time share with the other users.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising a step of identifying documents for reconciling review, wherein documents are found by searching previously reviewed documents using one or more words used in the coding rules or one or more words in the elementary facts as search keys, and selecting those documents with coding dates being before the effective dates of respective coding rules and elementary facts.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising a step of conducting a reconciling review for the identified documents.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising a step of adding new type of elementary facts to the at least one table during review.

14. A combination of document review method and discovery-assisting method, being used by a group of users or document reviewers for document review, the method comprising:

a document review method comprising delivering documents to client computers, coding documents on the client computers, and saving coded data on a server; and

a discovery-assisting method for distributing coding rules and/or elementary facts to the client computers of the users in real-time by using a discovery-assisting user interface,

wherein, a first user enters a coding rule or an elementary fact in at least one table based upon information the user has acquired from reviewing one or more documents, and a second user searches coding rules and elementary facts in the at least one table and finds the coding rule or the elementary fact and uses it as guidance in making a coding decision for a different document, whereby the information that the first user collected in the coding rule or elementary fact is passed to the second user.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step for the first user to enter a coding rule or an elementary fact in the at least one table and a step for one or more other users to validate the coding rule or elementary fact by clicking a validation button or by pressing a voting button to cast a vote on the discovery-assisting user interface.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein at least one of the users is a privileged user and other remaining users are ordinary users, and the privileged user has authority to enter and validate coding rules while ordinary users have authority to validate elementary facts.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising a step for conducting a reconciling review according to coding rules and elementary facts.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising a step for adding new type of elementary facts for the at least one table during review.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising a step for exporting elementary facts and coding rules for backup or future use.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising a step for generating an index table which shows latest changes in coding rules and elementary facts so that each of the users can quickly see all changes and latest changes.