How to Use This Book

• Author: Leonard H. Bucklin
• Pages: 45-50

How to Use This Book

Volume 1, entitled Building Trial Notebooks, is a discussion of the reason for and the use

of each of the sections of your trial notebook, and includes the Basic Forms contained in

Bucklin Trial Notebook. Review each section in Building Trial Notebooks Volume 1 to under-

stand how you can use each of the sections of your trial notebook to your best advantage.

Bucklin Trial Notebook contains only the Basic Forms and is ready to use in your next

case. Use Bucklin Trial Notebook to organize the next worthwhile case that comes into

your office.

Note: The forms in Bucklin Trial Notebook have page headers and page num-

bers on them for your convenience and initial understanding. You will be

using the CD and your word processor to print out additional forms for multi-

ple use, or for use in your other trial notebooks. The CD allows you to print

out the forms, for your clients or you to use, without the page headers found

on the top of the pages in Bucklin Trial Notebook.

Your Trial Notebook as Primary File

Your trial notebook should be your primary file in a litigation case. When a litigation

case is started, that is also the time to start your trial notebook for that case.

The trial notebook is not just for trial. We said that before, and it bears repeating.

Your trial notebook is a way of organizing the entire course of your litigation. Your

notebook has all the basic information you need for any task at hand. Your Litigation

Checklist (found under “The Plan”) shows you what you have done, what you need to

do, and when you need to do it. Your trial notebook has your materials for deposition

arrangements, deposition questions, settlement conferences, motions, and appearances

before the motions judge. Finally, your trial notebook is your guide and resource book

during trial. All the way through the litigation, if you reach for your trial notebook, you

will have the equivalent of a thick primary file folder, organized by tab divisions.

When you start using a trial notebook as the primary file folder, you still will keep

whatever file system you now have in your office. Some lawyers I know have changed

entirely to using computer records and notebooks as their only file folders, but that is

really a matter of personal preference. Whatever makes you comfortable in your use of

litigation files is what you should do, with two exceptions:

1. Always use your trial notebook as the primary file that you reach for first, when

you want to see the status of the case, and when you are preparing for the next step in

the litigation.

2. Always take your trial notebook with you as the primary file when you go outside

the office to work on a case in any way, whether it be to a deposition, witness confer-

ence, mediation, or court motion.

(Rev. 4, 8/08)

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