PDF Print E-mail
Chapter 7 - Managing Litigation Information Using Technology

Document Database Sample Fields

Document Database Sample Fields. The following are the properties assigned to different fields in a sample document control application. They contain legal and administrative considerations for various fields in a document control database. This will provide an understanding of some of the decisions that are required as you begin to design your own fields for your specific case. In any case, you may decide to use several of the following fields or all of them, depending upon budget, time, etc. Also, some sample field properties are shown to give you an idea of there use. For a review of field properties, see Section 6, Databases.

DCNO - Document Number

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • This should be a required entry field, meaning that a document number must be entered prior to saving the record.
  • This may be the image filename that links the image to this record.
  • For a further discussion on document ID numbers, see Developing Document Control and Image Numbering Systems in the section that follows.

Caution: In some programs, once you enter the document number and save a record, you cannot subsequently edit that document number. The only way to change a document number will be to delete the entire record and reenter the data with a new document number.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Text
  2. Data Width - 12 characters
  3. Unique Value - Yes
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - Yes
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

COND - Document Condition

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, enter the condition(s) of the document.
  • Suggested objective coding for this field may be:
    1. Marginal - This notation will alert the reader to the fact that someone has written marginal notes on the document.
    2. Incomplete - This notation means that there are incomplete pages to this set of related documents.
    3. Illegible - This code means that the document or documents are partially illegible.
    4. OK - This code means that the condition of the document is acceptable.
  • Multi-Entry should be allowed for this field.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Name
  2. Data Width - 15 characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

IMAG - Document Image Link

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • This field will permit you to enter information about whether a "graphic image" of your document is available for instant viewing.
  • Information about a graphic image should be entered here if you have previously scanned in and linked a graphic image of a document to a record. For example, if the image of Contract #104 is linked to this record, type in the field identifier to link the image. Some programs have small icons or other identifiers showing a graphic image link with the record.
  • You can generate a report of all documents available for "graphic image" viewing.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - Yes
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

DATE - Document Date

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, enter the date of the document.
  • Acceptable date formats are generally MM/DD/YY or M/D/YY. An acceptable date format for March 3, 1990 would be 3/3/90 or 03/03/90.
  • This is a required entry field, meaning that a date must be entered prior to saving the record.
  • Estimate the date of document if no date appears on the document. This will assist you when preparing reports to have the summary of the document appear in at least the estimated year that it was prepared.
  • Some programs permit unknown document dates to be estimated as 00/00/89. The 00 is the estimated month, 00 is the estimated day, and the 89 is the estimated year the document was prepared.
  • If there are several dates on your document, be consistent from document to document. The date the document is executed or the date the last signature was placed on the document can be entered. Standardize this entry requirement prior to entering document dates in the application.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Date
  2. Data Width - 9
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - Yes
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

TYPE - Document Type

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, you will enter the type of documents. The type of documents will generally depend upon the kind of case that you are working on. For example, in a contract case, you may have documents divided into the following categories:
    1. Contract Documents
    2. Correspondence
    3. Quarterly Financial Records
    4. Tenant Cash Receipts
    5. Modifications to Contract

Tip: Prior to entering information into this field, separate out the different types of documents and standardize the entry names for these document types.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Name
  2. Data Width - 30 characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

DESC - Document Description

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, enter a description and/or title of the document for identification purposes.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Text
  2. Data Width - 2 lines displayed
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

SUMM - Document Summary

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • Type in a clear, concise summary of the document. A natural inclination is to type in a lot of data concerning each document. It is better for retrieval and case analysis purposes to type in a short and concise summary of the document that meets the needs of the case. Otherwise, you are essentially duplicating the document by typing in the contents of the document, which may not be needed. As you gain experience in abstracting or summarizing documents, this will become easier.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Text
  2. Data Width - 4 lines displayed
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

IMPO - Document Importance

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • The document importance field permits you to enter a code to designate the importance of the document. This will enable you to later retrieve documents according to the order of importance as they might relate to a given person connected to the case or a legal issue that concerns the case.
  • Two suggested coding techniques are set out below to rate the importance of your documents.

1. Enter a numerical number to indicate its importance.

10 - Highest Importance
09
08
07
06
05
04
03
02
01 - Lowest Importance

Tip: If you are going to use numerical values, always include a zero before the single digit number. This will ensure that the documents are retrieved and sorted in the appropriate order.

2. Another technique would be to provide a word code for each document. For a particular document, you can give it the designation of HOT  - Highest Importance, WARM - Luke Warm Importance, or COLD, which is of lowest importance.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Text
  2. Data Width - Four Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No

NOTE - Notes

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In the NOTE field, you will enter notes, investigative information, or comments regarding a document. You can enter data in which:
    • Additional information needs to be located regarding this document;
    • Requests for production of related documents should be filed;
    • Interrogatories relating to the document need to be sent out; or
    • Any other miscellaneous matter connected with the document needs to be noted.
  • The value of entering this information is that, subsequently, you can generate a written report based on this field and list the notes for follow?up work on the case. This same technique can be used for Request for Admissions, Request for Production, Investigations, and so forth.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Text
  2. Data Width - 3 lines displayed
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Required Field - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed -No

NAMC - Names Connected with Documents

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • This field will record the names of persons who are connected with the documents.
  • The name forms should be filled out while you are reviewing your documents for the first time. These forms are set up so that you can give an abbreviated name to the persons in the case or assign them an alpha/numerical code. Do not mix the two coding systems.
  • Below is a suggested coding technique to indicate the relationship of individuals to a particular document:
       A = Author
       C = Persons copied with the document.
       R = Recipient
       M = Persons mentioned in document
       =  _________________________.
    For example, if Smith was the author of a document, enter Smith?A or Smith (A) into the field area. After you enter the name of the person and his or her connection with the case, then you will be able to retrieve those records and create a report of who authored a particular document, who received copies, and so forth.
  • Since this field has the capability of having multi-entry names, numerous names can be entered into this "field." After entering the names of the persons connected with the document, you will be able to search this field for any person who has been named in this field.
  • To ensure that the only authorized issue codes are typed in and spelled correctly, the validation control feature is ON. This means that certain issue codes that have been previously authorized can only be entered into the computer.
  • ALTERNATIVE METHOD: Some database designers prefer to create 3 or 4 fields for the names connected to a document. The fields are AUTH - Author; MENT - Persons Mentioned in the Document; RECIP - recipient or ADDR - Addressees. These separate fields can be searched separately or together to return all relevant documents pertaining to a witness.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 17 characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - Yes
  5. Required Entry - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes.

ISSC - Legal Elements/Factual Propositions

Legal/Office Overview:

  • In this field, you will enter the legal element and factual proposition codes for your case.
  • This is an important field in your document control form, since coding of this field will directly link a document to specific legal elements and/or factual propositions.
  • Setting up coding for the causes of action, legal elements, and factual propositions of your case has been explained in a prior section of Chapter 7.
  • To ensure that the only authorized issue codes are typed in and spelled correctly, utilize the validation control feature. This means that certain issue codes that have been previously authorized can only be entered into the computer.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 17 characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - On
  5. Required Entry - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes, numerous codes can be entered into this field.

OTHC - Other Codes

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, codes for a variety of categories can be entered in order to later retrieve records for specific reports.
  • For example, you may decide to use a code, such as PD, to mean that further investigation or follow?up on a case is needed. The investigative information will be entered in the NOTE field. After you enter the PD code in the OTHC field, you can retrieve those records and generate a report, with one column for the PD code and another column for the NOTE field.
  • The same technique can be used for interrogatories, request to produce, etc.
  • To ensure that only authorized OTHC codes are typed in and spelled correctly, the authority control feature is ON. This means that only certain OTHC codes that have been previously authorized can be entered into the computer.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 17 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - Yes
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

EVID-Evidentiary Issues Connected to Documents

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, you can enter information concerning the evidentiary issues or problems with a particular document. For example, if a handwritten document needs a foundation before it can be entered into evidence, you could enter information in this field that "witness Slade needs to identify document for foundational purposes." Later, when you are preparing an evidentiary report and want to know if there are any evidentiary document problems connected with the case, you can retrieve these records and generate a report that will summarize evidentiary problems for all documents in your case.

Tip: If you have the same evidentiary issue for a number of documents, this is a good place to create a "macro" or a "lookup value" which will allow you at the touch of a key on your keyboard to reproduce a particular phrase or evidentiary sentence.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

PRIV - Privileged/Confidential Information Connected to Documents

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • This field permits you to enter information regarding the privileged or confidential nature of the document. In this field, you would enter the nature of the privilege as it pertains to the document and then later generate a report of all documents that are not subject to discovery.
  • Some of the documents that you work with may be privileged or confidential and not subject to discovery by the opposing party. For example, if a document was prepared in "anticipation of litigation," this document can be considered "work product" and not subject to disclosure. Another document may be subject to an attorney?client "privilege" and not subject to discovery.

Tip: This is another field where a "macro" may save you time in inputting certain key phrases.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

HIST - Production History of Document

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • In this field, enter information relating to the disclosure or discovery of the document. Since most documents in a case are subject to discovery by the opposing party, it is important to maintain information, either when you received the document, or whether and when it was disclosed to the opposing party.
  • Many times, due to the number of documents in a case, it is extremely difficult when a second or third request for production arises to determine whether or not particular documents have been previously disclosed, either through deposition, interrogatories, or other requests for production. To solve this problem, information about a particular document and its production history is entered here for future retrieval and report generation.
  • It is suggested that standardized phrases are followed and used in this field. For example, for documents disclosed or received, you might enter:
    Provided to opposing party pursuant to Request for Production dated February 22, 1990.
    OR
    Received from opposing party pursuant to Request for Production of documents dated September 14, 1990
  • Multi-Entry is permitted for repeated disclosure history or third party disclosure.
  • To ensure that only authorized HIST codes are typed in and spelled correctly, the authority control feature is ON. This means that only certain HIST codes which have been previously authorized can be entered into the computer.

Tip: A macro to standardize phrases or lookup table can be created to save a substantial amount of time in entering this information.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - Yes
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

DEXH - Deposition Exhibit

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • This field will permit you to enter information connecting a particular document as an exhibit to a deposition. It is important to know whether witnesses provided testimony about the document.
  • This field can be multi-entry, so if a document is used as an exhibit in more than one deposition this information can be entered. Later, you can search this field for all documents as they relate to a particular witness and whether or not they were made exhibits to his/her deposition or to any other depositions.
  • One of the most powerful features of some programs is the capability to link the full text of a deposition of a witness directly to a document database abstract and image that was discussed in the deposition.
  • You could also imbed cross?reference codes in the deposition, such as #008. Then you can immediately go to all cross?references relating to this document and what the witnesses testified regarding document #008 in their deposition.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

TEXH - Trial Exhibit

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • This field will permit you to enter information about a document as a future trial exhibit.
  • For example, you might know that a purchase contract with a document number of 008 will be entered into evidence in trial. Before trial, you can enter information in this field indicating that it is "Plaintiff’s Exhibit Number 1." Then, you can generate a report listing the document titles and a summary of those documents that will be used as exhibits in the trial.

Tip: In order to sort this field in ascending exhibit order #, it may be necessary that you put in the number of the exhibit first to generate a chronological report of the exhibits. Thus, for a particular exhibit, you would enter:

0001, Plaintiff's Exhibit #.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - Yes

FTXT - Document Full Text Link

Legal/Administrative Overview:

  • If the full text of a document has been converted for use with this program and linked to a document control application record, enter information about the name and the type of full text document available for viewing. For example, if a significant contract document has been converted for searching and so forth, type in "Contract 104 has been converted for full text searching” or a field describing that has been converted to full text.
  • Later, you can retrieve all records pertaining to this field and generate a report showing all full text documents available for searching, viewing, and so forth.

Field Properties:

  1. Data Type - Alpha/Numeric
  2. Data Width - 70 Characters
  3. Unique Value - No
  4. Validation Control - No
  5. Field Required - No
  6. Multi-Entry Allowed - No
 

Find Legal Software


Sponsors






Digital Practice of Law Book

Digital Practice - TOC
Ch.1 - Automating the Practice
Ch: 2 - Computers
Ch: 3 - Networking and Group Computing
Ch: 4 - Internet & Telecommunications
Ch: 5 - Management and Personnel Considerations
Ch: 6 - Computer Concepts and Legal Applications
Ch: 7 - Managing Office and Litigation Information Using Technology
Implementing Litigation IT
Ch: 8 - Using Multimedia in Legal Proceedings
Glossary

eDiscovery Alerts

Click here to sign up for ediscovery e-mail alerts that provide news on the latest electronic discovery and evidence issues.