PRODUCT INFORMATION

Introduction/Overview

Summary judgment™ is a case management software system designed by a working lawyer for working lawyers. Summary Judgment enables a practicing lawyer to open, organize, develop, bill for and close any case or matter using a comprehensive case management software tool. The tool is designed to be user- friendly and require very little training/know-how beyond the basic computer functions that most lawyers already use in performing word-processing, email and web-search tasks.

Embodied in Summary Judgment is a highly sophisticated data management, outlining and decision-tree software platform developed by Eastgate Systems, Inc. called Tinderbox™. Although principally designed to create and organize text notes, Tinderbox's great strength lies in its powerful data organization, search, sort and presentation features, which permit easy marshalling of relevant case information in preparation for key case events and transactions (e.g., a trial, a hearing, a negotiation meeting, etc.), so that that the strongest possible case is always put forward.

In addition, the information stored in a Summary Judgment case file can be presented in multiple visual views, with relational links that bring out important connections; and which give rise naturally to mind-maps of critical facts and issues, so that the case is fully understood and the best tactical and strategic decisions can be made.

User- friendly data entry forms allow quick and easy recording of case file work and activities (e.g., communications - telephone calls; conference calls; correspondence; emails; faxes, etc. - to and from the client, opposing counsel and parties, and third parties); and activities (e.g., court appearances, agency appearances, meetings, conferences, etc.).

User-editable forms and templates allow rapid generation of correspondence, pleadings and other documents, together with standard transmittal letters and cover sheets to accompany filing and serving. Documents generated in Summary Judgment may be printed directly from Summary Judgment; or exported to full-featured word-processors like Word™ and Pages™ to take advantage of their richer formatting, mail-merge and other word-processing capabilities to produce finished documents for filing, serving, etc.

User-friendly Tasks/TO DO entry forms allow rapid input of critical case file tasks and subtasks with their associated Due Dates. The Due Dates are automatically linked to an efficient system of Tickler Alerts which call attention to work, activities and follow-up that must be performed to remain "on time and on budget".

Equally simple Time & Billing functions allow recording of billable time, expenses, payments, credits and other invoicing data, for the lawyer's trust (IOLTA) and operating acccounts, as the work is performed. A well-designed INVOICE template quickly generates finished Invoices from the recorded time and billing data, showing both IOLTA and operating account transactions for the case file. The Invoices are easy to read and understand, and therefore more likely to be paid promptly. A Time & Billing Summary gives a snapshot to date of the case file finances including total fees, expenses, payments, credits, interest charges, net and current balance due.