Building a Trial Notebook the Paralegal Way

Dana DucoteMontye Holmes, CPHirsch & Westheimer, P.C.1415 Louisiana, 36th FLHouston, TX 77002

TYPE 1:

TRIAL NOTEBOOK FROM INCEPTION OF CASE

(CHRONOLOGICAL)

Live pleadings (petitions and answers)

Docket control sheetDisclosure responsesDiscovery responsesDeposition summariesList of key documents

TYPE 2:TRUE TRIAL NOTEBOOK

Attorney Trial Outlines

Voir Dire QuestionsJury Seating ChartOpening StatementClosing StatementJury Charge

Plaintiff’s Pre-Trial DocumentsPlaintiff’s Exhibit ListPlaintiff’s Witness ListPlaintiff’s Motion in LiminePlaintiff’s Proposed Jury ChargePlaintiff’s Designation of

Deposition ExcerptsPlaintiff’s Designation of Expert

Witnesses

Defendant’s Pre-Trial DocumentsDefendant’s Exhibit ListDefendant’s Witness ListDefendant’s Motion in LimineDefendant’s Proposed Jury ChargeDefendant’s Designation of

Deposition ExcerptsDefendant’s Designation of Expert

Witnesses

Pleadings and OrdersLive pleadings (petition and answer)

Docket Control OrderCourt’s Trial Preparation Order

Plaintiff’s Discovery ResponsesDisclosure responsesInterrogatory answers Production responsesAdmissions

Defendant’s Discovery Responses(Same)

Plaintiff’s Answers to Defendant’s First Set of Interrogatories

Plaintiff’s Answers to Defendant’s Second Set of Interrogatories

Plaintiff’s Responses to First Request for Admissions

Plaintiff’s Responses to Second Request for Admissions

EvidenceExhibit list/ExhibitsWitness list/Witnesses

Potential questions for each witnessDeposition transcripts/summaries/excerpts

Closing Argument Jury Charge

TYPE 3:

LARGER CASES OR CASES WITH MULTIPLE PARTIES MIGHT NEED SEPARATE NOTEBOOKS FOR PLEADINGS, DISCOVERY, EXHIBITS, TRIAL OUTLINES/JURY

Extensive casesPlaintiff’s notebookDefendant’s notebook

Separate “trial notebook”Pre-trial Order Docket Control OrderWitness listsExhibit listsJury section

Multiple parties might have a separate live pleadings notebookPlaintiff’s petitionPlaintiff’s answer to counterclaimDefendant 1’s answerDefendant 2’s answerDefendant 3’s answer and counterclaim

Discovery Responses NotebookPlaintiff’s disclosure responsesPlaintiff’s answers to interrogatoriesPlaintiff’s responses to requests for production

Plaintiff’s responses to requests for admissions

Separate section for each defendant’s discovery responses

Deposition notebookEach deposition taken (condensed version, copied front and back)

Summary of the deposition with issues identified when possible

Deposition excerpts

Exhibit notebookYour own exhibit list with a copy of each exhibit behind separate tabs

OR Exhibits in file folders in a box (marked with Exhibit number and copied for each party, the witness, the judge, and the court reporter)

Exhibit list should have columns forExhibit numberDescription of the exhibitBates numberOffered into evidenceObjection (if any)Admitted

Other sections that can be included in both a litigation trial notebook and a chronological trial notebook:

Task list/deadline chartContact listOrder of proofResearch/case law

Order of Proof Outline

WitnessesIssueExhibit

Jury Section of Trial Notebook

Jury Seating Chart

Jury Section of Trial Notebook

Jury Seating ChartVoir Dire QuestionsJury InstructionsJury ChargeVerdict Form

TYPE 4:ELECTRONIC TRIAL NOTEBOOK

Electronic Trial Notebook

Trial softwareUse your existing computer system to gather your key documents in one place, in addition to how they were produced

Questions?