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The Legal Details tab is a one-page overview of everything that needs to be completed for a legal proceedings case.  It represents the entirety of the legal process from A to Z and has been dubbed by many of our attorney clients as “the anatomy of a law suit on a single screen.”

This screen is divided up into 8 logical sections following each case through the legal process.  SimplicityCollect is the most complete legal tracking and collection software on the market due primarily to this screen.

These sections are as follows:

  • Debtor information
  • Financial Information
  • Motions
  • Complaint Information
  • Supplemental Information
  • Judgment Information
  • Garnishment Information
  • Case Notes

Motions

The following chapter will detail the available motion types for use in Simplicity.

  Any time you select a Motion Type under motions, you must also enter the Motion Start Date.

Amend Complaint

Select “Amended Complaint” when you need to amend your complaint and you have judgment or garnishment data that you need to leave in Simplicity.

  • These accounts will show up on Legal Report 28: “Other Motions” to remind you that this action is in progress. This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.
  • When you have finished this motion and need to move to your next action you will be to de-select “Amended Complaint” by clicking on “Select Motion” from the drop list to take the account off of Legal Report 28.

Appeal

“Appeal” is selected when this account is taken up on appeal.  When you schedule the hearing and file the paperwork, enter the “Hearing Date.”

  • These accounts will show up on Legal Report 28: “Other Motions” to remind you that this action is in progress or that you are awaiting the hearing. This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.
  • When you have finished this motion and need to move to your next action you will de-select “Appeal” by clicking on “Select Motion” from the drop list to take the account off of Legal Report 28.

Claim of Exemption
Select “Claim of Exemption” when an exemption is claimed.

Interest and Fees
“Interest and Fees” is the motion you select after you have won summary judgment and you are now submitting motion to for an award of attorney’s fees, interest, and costs.  When you schedule the hearing and send the paperwork to the court to be filed, enter the “Hearing Date.”

  • Legal Report 27: “Interest and Fees” shows all accounts with this selected as the motion type and a start date. This list shows you which ones you are working on or awaiting the hearing date.  This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.
  • When you win this motion after the hearing then you can enter the “Judgment Sent” date (under Judgment Information) and the account will no longer show on Legal Report 27 when a judgment has been entered.

Judgment on Pleadings
“Judgment on Pleadings” is selected when the defendant has filed an answer and admits to owing the debt.  When you schedule the hearing and send the paperwork to the court to be filed, enter the “Hearing Date.”

  • Legal Report 23: “Judgment on Pleading” shows all accounts with this selected as the motion type and a start date. This list shows you which ones you are working on or awaiting the hearing date.
  • When you win this motion after the hearing, select what your next action will be and change the motion type, such as “Interest and Fees” or “Stipulation for Judgment.”

Notice of Default
“Notice of Default” should be selected when you are sending a notice of intent to take default to another attorney giving them a timeframe to respond before you will send the default judgment paperwork to be filed.

  • All “Notice of Default” motion types will show on Legal Report 28: “Other Motions” when a start date has been entered. The report will allow you to see how much time has elapsed and to check the file to see if they have responded.  If the time is up you can send your default judgment, call them, or send a follow up letter.
  • To remove this account from Legal Report 28, change the motion type back to “Select Motion”.

Other Motion

“Other Motion” is a miscellaneous motion if you have a motion that is not listed in the choices given.

  • All accounts assigned the value of “Other Motion” will show up on Legal Report 28: “Other Motions.” All legal reports can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.
  • When you are finished with this motion you will select “Select Motion” to take the account off of Legal Report 28.

Stipulation for Judgment

“Stipulation for Judgment” should be selected when you have agreed with the debtor or their attorney to stipulate to a judgment.  Enter the start date, prepare the paperwork, and mail it to be signed.

  • All of these accounts will show up on Legal Report 28: “Other Motions.”
  • After the stipulation has been signed and returned then you can enter the “Judgment Sent” date when you send the stipulation and judgment to be filed at the court. At this same time change the motion type back to “Select Motion Type.”

Summary Judgment

“Summary Judgment” should be selected after the defendant has filed an answer and you are now moving for summary judgment.  When you schedule the hearing and send the paperwork to the court to be filed, enter the “Hearing Date.”

  • All accounts with this motion type and a start date will appear on Legal Report 22: “Summary Judgment.” This list shows you which ones you are working on or awaiting the hearing date.  This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.
  • When you win this motion after the hearing, select your next action such as “Interest and Fees,” or “Stip for Judgment.” If you are just sending a judgment enter the “Judgment Sent” date and change the motion type back to “Select Motion Type.”

Supplemental Fees

“Supplemental Fees” should be selected when you are seeking additional attorney’s fees to be awarded.  Use Legal Report 24: “Supplemental Fees to File” for a list of all accounts that you would want to apply for supplemental attorney’s fees.  This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.  These accounts are accounts which are paid in full and have had a supplemental exam scheduled.  The supplemental exam date is used as criteria because it lets you know you’ve had to do extra work on this account to collect the money (meaning that you’ve had to do at least one garnishment and one supplemental exam).

  • First, select “Supplemental Fees” under motion type and enter the start date.
  • Next, (this is one of the few times you delete information out of Simplicity), delete all data entered under Judgment Information, Garnishment Information, and Supplemental Information. Then change the “Legal Standing” back to “Select Status.”
  • Then schedule your hearing, enter the “Hearing Date,” and send your motion to the court to be filed.
  • All accounts with “Supplemental Fees” selected as the motion type will now appear on Legal Report 26: “Supplemental Fees Sent to Court.” After your hearing when you win your motion, you will then submit your amended judgment.  As soon as the “Judgment Entered” date is entered into Simplicity the account will no longer appear on Report 26.
  • **If you don’t want to seek supplemental attorney’s fees, then print Legal Report 24 and send Satisfactions of Judgment on all of those accounts listed. This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

 Legal Standing

The legal standing section is provided to give a quick summary of the legal standing of each account.  Each status type under the legal standing section will be detailed in this section.  Each legal standing status type is tied directly to a particular legal report in Simplicity.  Legal standings are not intended to be “all inclusive” and can be used in conjunction with customized status types.

The following legal standing status types are available in Simplicity:

Select Status:  means the account is in an open status.

  1. Each time a legal standing status is changed, the Standing Change Date is automatically updated with the current date.  This date can be changed by the user if needed by manually typing a new date in the box provided, or selecting the correct date from the corresponding calendar icon.

Bankruptcy #11:  Bankruptcy #13 is selected when you receive the notice that the debtor has filed Chapter 11 or 13 Bankruptcy.  Since you can no longer collect on this account, selecting Bankruptcy #11 closes the account.

  1. Any account with a Legal Standing of “Bankruptcy #11” will show up on Legal Reports 39 and 46. These reports can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

Bankruptcy #7: is selected when you receive the notice that the debtor has filed Chapter 7 Bankruptcy.  Since you can no longer collect on this account, selecting “Bankruptcy #7” closes the account.

  1. Any account with a Legal Standing of “Bankruptcy #7” will show up on Legal Reports 38 and 46. These reports can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

Body Writ Sent to Court:  is selected when you send a body writ or an arrest warrant to the court to be entered and signed by the judge.

  1. If the court has failed to return the writ within 14 days, the account will show up on Legal Report 41. You can follow up with the court to see why the paperwork has not been returned, or to check your file to see if it has been returned but not sent to the sheriff.  This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

Closed:  is a Legal Standing you can choose if you just want to close a file and it’s not paid in full, in bankruptcy, or uncollectible but you just need to close it.

Itemization Requested:  selected when the debtor has requested a copy of an itemized bill or documentation of the debt you are suing them on.  This legal standing would show on Legal Report 33 so you have a list of accounts that you need to get documents on either from the collection agency, hospital, or the provider of the service for which a bill is owed.  As soon as you receive the documentation, mail it to them, and change the “Legal Standing” to “Itemization Sent.”

Itemization Sent:  after you received the documents you requested and now you have mailed them to the debtor.  These accounts will show on Legal Report 34: “Itemization Sent” and will now show on Legal Report 6: “Default Judgments to File” if they meet the criteria of being ready for a judgment to be filed.  These accounts will stay on Legal Report 34 until a “Judgment Entered” date is entered.

Lien Sent:  selected as the legal standing when you have made an agreement with the debtor or their attorney that they will sign a lien for you.  “Lien Sent” is the date you sent it out for their signatures.  This will show on Legal Report 36 so you can follow up to make sure it is returned in a timely manner.  This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

Not Collected:  is the legal standing you will choose when you have determined there is essentially no way to collect money from the debtor even from garnishments, bank garnishments, payments.  Choosing “Not Collected” as the legal standing closes the file.

PIF
:  PIF, meaning paid in full is the legal standing you will choose when the account has been paid in full.  “PIF” closes the account.

  1. All accounts with the legal standing of “PIF” appear on either Legal Report 43: “PIF with a Judgment” or Legal Report 44: “PIF without a Judgment.” These reports can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.
  2. If a Judgment has been entered, “PIF” is also a trigger for Legal Report 10: “Satisfactions to Serve” and Legal Report 24: “Supplemental Fees to File.” These reports can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

WFI:   WFI, meaning waiting for information is the legal standing you choose when there is no further action you can take until you get a current address or current employment or banking information.

  1. All accounts with this legal standing will appear on Legal Report 29: “WFI.” You can use this list to search for new information or have your client search for new information on the debtor.  This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

Body Writ Sent to Sheriff:  As soon as the body writ or arrest warrant has been signed and returned from the court, you need to change the Legal Standing to “Body Writ Sent to Sheriff” and send the writ and paperwork to the sheriff in order for an arrest to be made.

  1. Legal Report 40 will show all arrest warrants sent to the sheriff. This report can be found by clicking on the “Reports” menu and selecting “Legal Reports”.

Lien Received:  is selected as the legal standing when you have received the signed lien from the debtor.

  1. All Liens Received or liens in place will show up on Legal Report 37. It is a good idea to follow up on the status of the lien with a letter or phone call every 6 months to a year.  For example: If the debtor has a personal injury lawsuit currently going on and they sign a lien saying that if they win and get paid you will get paid on this debt.  Then you can follow up to see what the status of the personal injury lawsuit is and when they go to trial.  Then you will have an idea of when the lien will pay out and to make sure they follow through.

New:  This can be selected when their Legal Standing is New and not yet ready for one of the other statuses.

 Tips:

The legal reports found under Reports->Legal Reports follow the details of the legal screen.  The legal reports were designed to provide exception reporting to each step of the legal life cycle according to the details entered for each account on the legal details screen.

You may also notice drop-down fields with no options to select, like Counties, Courts, and so on. You can add your own information for these drop-down fields by going to: Settings > Court Settings.

See anything missing or out of date on this page? Please contact Simplicity Support at helpdesk@simplicitycollect.com.