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Litigation management system and method

Litigation management system and method description/claims

This Non-Provisional Utility Patent Application claims the benefit of filing date of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/257,607, filed Dec. 22, 2000, entitled LITIGATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.

The present invention relates to information management systems, and more particularly to a system and method for managing litigation information.

Currently, it is common practice in the field of litigation to maintain litigation documents, such as pleadings and correspondence, in folders, books, binders, and other similar paper-based organizational tools. In large litigations, multiple binders are used to store each category of litigation documents, and it becomes difficult and time-consuming to locate particular documents. There are a few computer-based tools that assist in the organization and storage of litigation documents, such as “Blaze” from Summation Legal Technologies, Inc., and “ProLaw” from ProLaw Software, Inc. Computer-based tools such as these typically store litigation information in a database that must be queried by a user to obtain desired information. Queries may identify a date range, or a document description, or similar identification data, and often result in the return of multiple “hits”. The returned hits occasionally identify the desired information, but often also identify a great deal of irrelevant information. A user must typically enter multiple queries and sort through irrelevant information before locating the desired information.

It would be desirable for a litigation management system to provide an easy-to-use interface that provides a logical relationship between litigation information, and allows a user to quickly locate and view desired litigation information.

One form of the present invention provides a computer-based user interface for accessing litigation information associated with at least one litigation case. A home page includes a first plurality of user-selectable hyperlinks. Each hyperlink in the first plurality of hyperlinks identifies a category of litigation information. The interface also includes a plurality of web pages. Each web page is associated with one of the hyperlinks in the first plurality of hyperlinks. Each web page provides litigation information related to the category identified by the hyperlink associated with the web page. Each web page is displayed in response to selection of the hyperlink associated with the web page.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is contact information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for contact information includes contact information for opposing counsel, the court handling the litigation case, and clients.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is docket information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for docket information includes a plurality of docket entries. Each docket entry includes a description of a litigation action and a due date for the action. The web page associated with the hyperlink for docket information includes hyperlinks to electronic copies of litigation documents associated with docket entries.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is correspondence information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for correspondence information includes a plurality of correspondence entries. Each correspondence entry includes a description of a correspondence and a date of the correspondence. The web page associated with the hyperlink for correspondence information includes hyperlinks to electronic copies of correspondence.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is pleadings information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for pleadings information includes a plurality of pleadings entries. Each pleadings entry including a description of a pleading. Each pleadings entry further includes a pleadings number, a date, and a source identifier identifying a source of the described pleading. The web page associated with the hyperlink for pleadings information includes hyperlinks to electronic copies of pleadings documents.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is rules information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for rules information includes a plurality of hyperlinks to legal information sources relevant to the litigation case.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is patent information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for patent information includes information regarding at least one patent involved in the litigation case. The web page associated with the hyperlink for patent information includes a hyperlink to an electronic copy of the at least one patent, and a hyperlink to an electronic copy of a file history of the at least one patent.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is discovery information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for discovery information includes a plurality of discovery entries. Each discovery entry includes a description of a discovery document. The discovery entries further include a date of service and a due date. The web page associated with the hyperlink for discovery information includes hyperlinks to electronic copies of discovery documents. The discovery entries are grouped into subcategories including plaintiff's discovery, defendant's discovery, and depositions.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is expert information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for expert information includes information regarding experts used in the litigation case. The web page associated with the hyperlink for expert information includes a plurality of hyperlinks to electronic copies of documents related to experts. The plurality of hyperlinks to electronic copies of documents related to experts includes hyperlinks to electronic copies of expert reports and expert depositions.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is court orders, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for court orders includes a plurality of court order entries. Each court order entry includes a description of a court order. The court order entries further include pleadings numbers and dates associated with the court orders. The web page associated with the hyperlink for court orders includes hyperlinks to electronic copies of court orders.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is trial information, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for trial information includes a plurality of hyperlinks to electronic copies of documents to be submitted to a court for trial. The plurality of hyperlinks to electronic copies of documents to be submitted to a court for trial include hyperlinks to electronic copies of trial briefs, motions in limine, jury instructions, witness lists, and exhibit lists. The plurality of hyperlinks to electronic copies of documents to be submitted to a court for trial further include hyperlinks to electronic copies of designations of deposition testimony and offers of settlement.

In one embodiment, one of the categories identified by the hyperlinks is motions, and the web page associated with the hyperlink for motions includes a plurality of descriptions of motions and a plurality of hyperlinks to electronic copies of described motions.

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