Attorney terminal having outline preparation capabilities for managing trial proceedings

• US 7,249,026 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• 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:
  US09/332,317
• Time in Patent Office: 2,962 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/8, 707/530, 707/531, 707/102, 704/235, 704/260, 704/270, 386/46, 386/69, 386/85
• 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. A transcription system used to convert words spoken during a testimonial proceeding to a textual form for real time display, the transcription system comprising:

a transcriber comprising a court reporter that produces, in real time, a first document comprising transcript text representative of words spoken during the testimonial proceeding;

data storage that stores data representative of an image of at least one second document relating to the testimonial proceeding, the at least one second document comprising an exhibit;

a user input device supporting the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit and;

a screen that displays the first document comprising the transcript text as the first document is produced and the image of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit for viewing.

2. The transcription system of claim 1 further comprising a processor that responds to the user input device as the transcriber produces the first document comprising the transcript text by associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

3. The transcription system of claim 2 wherein the first document comprising the transcript text is stored in data storage.

4. The transcription system of claim 3 wherein the user input device supports selection of the portion of the transcript text stored in data storage, and wherein the screen displays the portion of the transcript text.

5. The transcription system of claim 2 further comprising a terminal, and wherein the terminal comprises the processor.

6. The transcription system of claim 1 wherein the user input device supports creation of an annotation, and further comprising a processor that responds to the user input device by associating the annotation with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

7. The transcription system of claim 1 wherein the user input device supports real time modification of the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

8. A transcription system used to convert words spoken during a testimonial proceeding to a textual form for real time display, the transcription system comprising:

a transcriber comprising a court reporter that produces, in real time, a first document comprising transcript text representative of words spoken during the testimonial proceeding;

a communication link;

data storage that stores data representative of an image of at least one second document relating to the testimonial proceeding, the at least one second document comprising an exhibit;

a screen;

a processor that receives the transcript text in real time from the transcriber via the communication link; and

the processor, as the transcriber produces the transcript text, directing display on the screen of the first document comprising the transcript text and the image of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit for viewing.

9. The transcription system of claim 8 further comprising a user input device supporting the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

10. The transcription system of claim 9 wherein the processor is responsive to the user interface device as the transcriber produces the first document comprising the transcript text for associating at least a portion of transcript text with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

11. The transcription system of claim 10 wherein the first document comprising the transcript text is stored in memory.

12. The transcription system of claim 11 wherein the user input device supports selection of the portion of the transcript text stored in memory, and wherein the screen displays the portion of the transcript text.

13. The transcription system of claim 9 wherein the user input device supports creation of an annotation and wherein the processor responds to the user input device by associating the annotation with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

14. The transcription system of claim 9 wherein the user input device supports real time modification of the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

15. The transcription system of claim 8 wherein the processor, as the transcriber produces the transcript text, associates at least a portion of the transcript text with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

16. The transcription system of claim 8 further comprising a terminal, and wherein the terminal comprises the processor.

17. A method used during a testimonial proceeding for viewing a first document comprising transcript text and an image of at least one second document comprising an exhibit, the method utilizing at least a stenographic system, a screen, data storage, and a user input device, the method comprising:

converting, using the stenographic system and a court reporter, representations of words spoken during the testimonial proceeding to a first document comprising transcript text, in real time;

displaying the first document comprising the transcript text on the screen for real time viewing;

accepting, via the user input device, at least one input selecting a second document comprising a first exhibit stored in data storage; and

displaying on the screen an image of the second document comprising the first exhibit.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the selected second document comprising the first exhibit.

19. The method claim 18 further comprising:

storing the first document comprising the transcript text;

displaying the stored transcript text associated with the second document comprising the first exhibit.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

accepting, via the user input device, at least one input selecting a third document stored in data storage, the third document comprising a second exhibit; and

displaying on the screen an image of the third document comprising the second exhibit.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the selected third document comprising the second exhibit.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

storing the first document comprising the transcript text;

accepting, via the user input device, at least one input reselecting the second document comprising the first exhibit; and

displaying the stored transcript text associated with the second document comprising the first exhibit.

23. A system used to provide words spoken during a testimonial proceeding in a textual form for real time display, the system comprising:

at least one data storage that receives a first document generated at least in part by a court reporter comprising transcript text representative of words spoken during the testimonial proceeding, the at least one data storage receives the first document as the first document comprising the transcript text is produced in real time, the at least one data storage stores data representative of an image of at least one second document relating to the testimonial proceeding, the at least one second document comprising an exhibit;

a user input device supporting the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit and;

a screen that displays the first document comprising the transcript text as the first document is produced in real time and the image of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit for viewing.

24. The system of claim 23 further comprising a processor that responds to the user input device as the first document comprising the transcript text is produced by associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the first document comprising the transcript text is stored in the at least one data storage.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the user input device supports selection of the portion of the transcript text stored in the at least one data storage, and wherein the screen displays the portion of the transcript text.

27. The system of claim 24 further comprising a terminal, and wherein the terminal comprises the processor.

28. The system of claim 23 wherein the user input device supports creation of an annotation, and further comprising a processor that responds to the user input device by associating the annotation with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

29. The system of claim 23 wherein the user input device supports real time modification of the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

30. A system used to provide words spoken during a testimonial proceeding in a textual form for real time display, the system comprising:

a first terminal that receives from a second terminal via a communication link, in real time, a first document generated at least in part by a court reporter comprising transcript text representative of words spoken during the testimonial proceeding, the first terminal comprising;

data storage that stores data representative of an image of at least one second document relating to the testimonial proceeding, the at least one second document comprising an exhibit;

a screen; and

a processor that, as the first terminal receives the transcript text, directs display on the screen of the first document comprising the transcript text and the image of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit for viewing.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the first terminal further comprises a user input device supporting the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the processor is responsive to the user interface device as the first terminal receives the first document comprising the transcript text, for associating at least a portion of transcript text with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the first document comprising the transcript text is stored in memory in the first terminal.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the user input device supports selection of the portion of the transcript text stored in memory, and wherein the screen displays the portion of the transcript text.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein the user input device supports creation of an annotation and wherein the processor responds to the user input device by associating the annotation with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein the user input device supports real time modification of the selection of the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

37. The system of claim 30 wherein the processor, as the first terminal receives the transcript text, associates at least a portion of the transcript text with the at least one second document comprising the exhibit.

38. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

receiving, in real time from a stenographic system comprising a court reporter, a first document comprising transcript text representative of words spoken during a testimonial proceeding;

displaying the first document comprising the transcript text on a screen for real time viewing;

accepting at least one input selecting a second document comprising a first exhibit stored in data storage; and

displaying on the screen an image of the second document comprising the first exhibit.

39. The machine-readable storage according to claim 38, further comprising code for associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the selected second document comprising the first exhibit.

40. The machine-readable storage according to claim 39 further comprising code for:

storing the first document comprising the transcript text;

displaying the stored transcript text associated with the second document comprising the first exhibit.

41. The machine-readable storage according to claim 38 further comprising code for:

accepting at least one input selecting a third document stored in data storage, the third document comprising a second exhibit; and

displaying on the screen an image of the third document comprising the second exhibit.

42. The machine-readable storage according to claim 41 further comprising code for associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the selected third document comprising the second exhibit.

43. The machine-readable storage according to claim 41 further comprising code for:

storing the first document comprising the transcript text;

accepting at least one input reselecting the second document comprising the first exhibit; and

displaying the stored transcript text associated with the second document comprising the first exhibit.

44. A machine-readable storage having stored thereon, a computer program having at least one code section executable by a machine for causing the machine to perform steps comprising:

displaying at least a portion of a first document generated at least in part by a court reporter comprising transcript text representative of words spoken during a testimonial proceeding on a screen;

accepting at least one input selecting a second document comprising a first exhibit stored in data storage;

associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the selected second document comprising the first exhibit; and

displaying on the screen an image of the second document comprising the first exhibit.

45. The machine-readable storage according to claim 44 further comprising code for:

accepting at least one input selecting a third document stored in data storage, the third document comprising a second exhibit; and

displaying on the screen an image of the third document comprising the second exhibit.

46. The machine-readable storage according to claim 45 further comprising code for associating at least a portion of the transcript text with the selected third document comprising the second exhibit.

47. The machine-readable storage according to claim 45 further comprising code for:

storing the first document comprising the transcript text;

accepting at least one input reselecting the second document comprising the first exhibit; and

displaying the stored transcript text associated with the second document comprising the first exhibit.

48. The machine-readable storage according to claim 44 further comprising code for:

storing the first document comprising the transcript text;

displaying the stored transcript text associated with the second document comprising the first exhibit.