Here’s where you’ll find copies of the forms listed in red text under “Basic Structure.” These are just some of the many pages from The Attorney Case File provided here to help make your office life easier.
In this section you’ll find copies of:
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Trial Information: This is the cover sheet to go just inside your Trial Notebook. It will help you ID the notebook without having to put too much information on the outside. |
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Section Cover Sheet (Generic). Use this template as a basic fill-in-the-blank cover sheet to use with each section. Start your notebook’s assembly by putting these pages in place and let them be your section “to do” lists for this particular trial. |
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Juror Data Sheet: Depending on your area, area of law, and type of case, you may be allowed a certain latitude in the amount of background information you collect on jurors. Whatever you’re allowed to collect, this form has a place to record the information. |
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Juror Questionnaire: A general questionnaire, this template offers a framework for constructing your own more in-depth survey tool for voir dire. You’ll note that several of the blanks prompt you to add your own questions or details. |
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Juror List / Seating Chart: Whether you use a jury consultant or just want to know who’s who in the jury box, this worksheet will let you record names, notes, and seating position. |
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Presentation Schedule: This page will let you outline your case in a chronological order showing which witnesses you want to call, the exhibit with which they’re associated, projected date of appearance, anticipated time length, media needs, and even the issue of the case to which it’s all related. |
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Bench Copy of Presentation Schedule: A “lite” version of your Presentation Schedule, this is the copy you’d hand off to the bench to let the judge know more about your witnesses and exhibits and some of the related information. |
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Client Data Sheet: In this case the sample we’ve provided is the “Civil Case” information sheet. This will help you gather some of the early data from your client to start the case. |
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Witness List: A quick organizer to show the names of your witnesses along with pertinent presentation information. |
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Witness Information: One of the things we’d like to point out about this form is that it prompts you to gather additional contact and tracking information about your witness. As cases drag on in court witnesses sometimes move or do other things that make it difficult to locate them when the next round of trials start. With this form you’ll have all the data you need in order to contact them again and again in the future. |
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Exhibits List: A quick organizer to show the exhibits you’ll present along with pertinent information. |
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Clerk Communication: Much of your communication with the court will be through the Clerk. Having a separate tracking sheet of these communication pieces will offer some redundancy so you’ll be sure nothing was missed. |
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Opposition’s Witness Information: Just as you want to know everything you can about your own witnesses, this is doubly important for witnesses the opposition will call. This template prompts you for extended contact information as well as background information, impeachment notes, etc., that your investigation will uncover. |
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Opposing Client Data: One of the most important people involved in the trial, you’ll want to know as much about the opposing client(s) as you possibly can. This page acts as the background investigation cover sheet for the data you’ll uncover. |
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Post-Trial Juror Interview: There’s a reason they call it “practicing law.” You always learn something new every day. Interviewing the jury – whether you won or lost the case – provides good insight on what went right and wrong for both you and the opposition so you have something to build on next time. |
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Daily Court Journal (and page 2): This one is a two-pager. Page one is the beginning of your in-court journal; the page where you keep notes regarding what went on in court on that day of trial. The second page is the basic copy for all following pages. These are included as a tool to help you take better-organized notes. |
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We’ve also provided a couple of checklists not listed in the tabbed sections discussed above:
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Trial Notebook Final Assembly Checklist: Always work from templates, forms, and checklists. Trial is not a place you want to realize you forgot something. Having a final assembly checklist helps you remember to include important details. |
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Day of Court Checklist: Since redundancy is your friend in important events, this checklist is provided to make sure you have everything you need for court above and beyond your Trial Notebook. |
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So, enough discussion already, let’s show you the forms and templates! Remember, in a PDF ebook, there’s only so much you can do with a sample form. With these you can print them to fill in by hand, scan with OCR software, or use as a model for creating something else. In our full system though, all files are in unlocked word processor formats so you can alter at will.