Petition drafting and replying to the other side
A reply to every allegation, in your own voice.
The Petitions & Contracts module writes petitions in the lawyer’s voice. When you upload the opposing petition it separates each allegation and proposes a position, reply, evidence and legal basis for each. It can learn your style from past petitions and, with your approval, apply it to every draft.
Step by step
- Open the Petitions & Contracts module and select the clientThe client’s approved facts are included in the reply.
- Attach the opposing petitionWrite “Draft a point-by-point reply to the opposing statement of claim”.
- Approve the cost and review the reply tableFor each allegation you see the position, reply, evidence, legal basis and any question for the client.
- Convert to a draftOne click creates the reply petition draft; edit it on the canvas and export to Word or PDF.
What you can do
Point-by-point reply to the opposing petition
Allegations in the statement of facts are separated one by one. For each, a position (deny, admit, partially admit, legal objection, information needed), reply text, evidence, legal basis and, where needed, a question for the client are produced. Preliminary objections such as jurisdiction, venue, limitation and res judicata, plus a reply-deadline reminder, are added.
Personal writing style
Learns your style from past petitions: salutation, narrative person, heading and numbering layout, closing formula and phrases you use often. When you press “Save this style” on the card, the rules apply to all new drafts; delete them any time under Settings → Assistant Memory.
Completeness check and library
Check your petition for missing mandatory elements, or find an older petition in the firm library to use as a model. Details in the Case file guide.
Tips
- Attach at least two or three full petitions to learn your style; one can be misleading.
- Questions for the client on allegations marked “information needed” are collected on the card.
- A draft is always a starting point; check the evidence list against the file.
Frequently asked questions
How many allegations can be answered?
Up to 40 at a time. For longer petitions the card states how far it processed.
Why is the petition written as “we” or “our client”?
Petitions are written in the lawyer’s voice. If you taught your style, your preferred narrative person is used.
How do I change my style rules?
Teach your style again with new petitions and the new rules replace the old ones. To delete individual rules, use Settings → Assistant Memory.