Getting Started
Organizing Your Case File
Why an organized file matters and a simple structure that works.
Why it matters
Cases are rarely lost in one moment. They're lost through missed deadlines, missing papers, and facts that can't be proven when it counts. In IAALS's Cases Without Counsel study, self-represented litigants described the process as a trip without a map.
A simple structure
- Court papers — everything filed or served, in date order
- Evidence — contracts, receipts, photos, messages
- Timeline — one page of key dates
- People — parties, witnesses, contacts
- Deadlines — every date on a calendar with reminders
An organized file also saves money if you hire a lawyer later, since they won't bill hours sorting it.
Sources
General information, not legal advice.
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