Introduction to Document Assembly Systems Spring 2015 Professor Jennifer Gundlach

Origins of Document Assembly Systems  It is impossible to access our justice system without completing and filing written court papers, e.g., pleadings, affidavits, evidence, etc.  Templates for these types of court documents are generally the first resource requested by unrepresented litigants and the creation of basic forms has been a huge priority for courts trying to manage pro se litigants.  For many years, courts and law libraries have made simple court forms and other legal documents available for unrepresented litigants.  Document assembly can also be useful for attorneys who have few resources/staff and who are trying to engage in efficient law practice to keep costs down for their clients.  Document assembly software takes things to the next level.

Early Versions of Document Assembly Software  Document assembly software has been around for a while, e.g., TurboTax. They are usually available for “out of the box” purchase or can be created in-house and customized.  Early versions of document assembly software tools can be seen in the “find/replace” or merge macros found in word- processing programs.  Many legal documents lend themselves to computer-aided drafting,  e.g, wills, contracts, tax forms, etc.  Early versions of document assembly systems for law practice looked like this.  But we’ve come along way since then....

The Basic Concept: Document Assembly  A developer begins by creating a template that models a particular kind of document, with “variables” and instructions placed at locations that need to change from case to case.  The template can be created in word processing software (e.g. Word) or in fixed-format graphic forms  The user of the template answers questions in a series of interview-style dialogues, the responses are stored in an “answer” file, and the desired document is generated in a common format like Word or PDF.  A lawyer, paralegal, or even a layperson can be a user of the template.

The Basic Concept: Guided Interviews  The document assembly software application can include a user interface, but it is can be challenging for new users.  Alternatively, there is software that can interface with the document assembly software to lead the user through a guided interview, in which the user is asked questions in order to collect the necessary factual information to assembly a document. The guided interviews can include graphics, pop-up information, and links for further reference.  The guided interview can result in the assembly of a document,  The guided interview can also provide information directly to the user.

The Basic Concepts: The Interface

Examples of Web-Based Document Assembly Systems for Consumers

Examples of Web-Based Document Assembly Systems for Pro Se Litigants