Courts and Stages for Law Firm Matters
The firm keeps its own list of courts, benches, tribunals and forums, and the stages a matter passes through. Each matter is recorded against one court and one stage at a time.
The firm’s list of courts
Every matter names the court, bench, tribunal or forum it is before. These come from a list the firm maintains, so one court is written the same way on every matter. The list is set to the courts the practice appears before. A forum that is missing can be added when the first matter in it is opened.
Stages from filing to disposal
Where the court and stage are used
- The hearing calendar groups the day’s list by court, so the clerk can plan the round.
- The printed cause list carries the court against every line.
- A report counts matters by stage, from filing through evidence to disposal.
- Search finds a matter by case number and year, within the court it is before.
- Both fields appear at the top of the matter, beside the advocate in charge.
What the lists do not do
The lists are the firm’s own. No court portal is connected as standard, so a bench, a roster or a case status is not read from a court website. Stages are entered by the people who record what happened. Which stages the firm uses, and what each one is called, is agreed during implementation.
Frequently asked questions
Can we use our own names for stages?
Yes. The stages are set to the way the firm describes its work. The list is agreed during implementation, along with the courts and the matter numbering.
Does the stage change by itself?
No. It moves when somebody records what the court did. A matter nobody updates stays at its old stage.
Are court details read from a court website?
No. Courts and benches are entered by the firm. Reading case status from a court site is done only on request, and it is raised when the account is set up.
Can a tribunal or consumer forum be listed with the courts?
Yes. Courts, benches, tribunals and forums all sit on the same list, and a matter can be recorded against any of them.
Tell us what you need.
Share your requirements and one of our engineers will come back to you within one business day.
- No obligation
- A reply within one business day
- Your details stay private
Start with your requirements
Seven short steps that tell us what you need. An engineer reads them before getting in touch.
Share your requirements