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Civil Litigation Made Easier With Document Management

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No combination of office equipment and document management software is going to win you cases. However, they can team up to help you successfully craft your argument and avoid making mistakes that can lose you cases.

Every document counts when it comes to business, and in legal proceedings, there are a lot of documents. The last thing an attorney wants to deal with is misplacing a critical one.

I've written about how important document management is to everyone's practice, so I won't repeat myself, but it's clear that too many law firms still rely on paper files. 

Document management and workflow can keep you efficient in the six stages of civil litigation. The ability to share your files electronically and print and copy documents using multifunction copiers makes collaboration much easier.

Investigation

The first step in civil litigation is accepting the right clients, which requires investigation. Document management-enabled case management allows you to compile all research into a single file, streamlining client review by making it easier to find the materials needed to make an informed decision.

You can also ensure that regularly used forms and templates are accessible from the multifunction copier interface, which can speed the client intake and ingestion processes.

Discovery

In discovery, you must exchange the right information with all parties. To ensure you execute discovery the right way you need to:

  • Collect and cull
  • Analyze and review
  • Execute a legal hold and all resources that require an audit trial

Some collection aspects require you to house and maintain a fleet of office equipment. Electronic document management can handle the most commonly used discovery documents:

  • eDiscovery
  • Interrogatory responses
  • Depositions

By using software to search through and sort documents, you speed up the discovery process and ensure that your office always meets its court-set deadlines.

Motions

Preparing and filing documents with the court can be time-consuming due to the amount of review and markup required. Using software for motion drafting often makes the process faster and more secure. If paper is the only option, you need the right multifunction copier to make sure all of your files are copied and shared and that all signatures are captured.

Trial and Trial Preparation

There is something compelling in legal dramas when the lawyer holds up a sheaf of papers to drive a point home right before the witness confesses. But, the last thing you want in your daily practice is drama. That is why you should shift to using digital resources for your trial prep.

Today, you can file and submit court cases online in Arkansas. You can read more about it by reading this eFilling in Arkansas post.

Legal document management can be crucially important in these areas:

  • Exhibits and documentary evidence
  • Deposition transcriptions
  • Outline of direct and cross-examinations
  • Proposed jury instructions

You can also manage video and audio with document management tools as part of your case management application and really maximize the impact of your exhibits.

Appeal

To create the record of appeal, most firms hire outside appellate printers. But, if you have the right copier and software mix, you can keep this task in-house at a lower cost. A professionally prepaid record with which you are completely familiar can be the difference between winning your case and losing it. And, at a fraction of the cost, it makes nothing but sense.

No combination of office equipment and document management software is going to win you cases. However, they can team up to help you successfully craft your argument and avoid making mistakes that can lose you cases.

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Topics: Legal Solutions Document Management