Questions about organization serious help needed

[Stepmom0418]

Ok all of you that have organization skills ........I need some serious help!!

I have many many documents and they are all scattered throughout a binder in folders but there is no organization to them. I got DHS reports, school records for SS, school records for the other kids, medical records, criminal records for BM, her BF, gma, brothers that are living with BM, reciepts, letters of intent and denial sent C RR, pictures, and a ton of other things as well.

All of these things are just thrown about in folders. (I know this is not a good thing but organization is not my best skill) DH has his final trial on Feb 9th and 10th. I HAVE to get this organized soon!

One problem that I am having is that on the same date there is also a contempt hearing and some of those documents will also play a big role in the final hearing as well as in the contempts. Any Advise??

HELP PLEASE!!

[onedaddy]

Before we saw the forensics evaluator I wrote a very thorough 14-page chronology with 44 exhibits attached to the back of the report with tabs.  It is held together with large clips in 2 parts but a big binder would probably work better and easier to bring along with you.

Example:  
July 11, 2000: I am awarded joint custody with blah, blah, blah (Exhibit A)
September, 2002:  Mrs.XX refuses blah, blah, blah (Exhibit B)

It started with mostly provable facts and then the last few pages were titled summary page which included mostly he said/she said stuff or things that weren't of immediate interest.
I use this as a bible and look at it before each court date to refresh my memory, our lawyer does the same. In fact I looked at it yesterday as the 3rd day for our trial begins tomorrow.

Good luck!

 

[Stepmom0418]

Was this in addition to a "log" or was this a log.

We have kept a log of contact which includes contact with SS,BM and any of her family members. It also has kept track of everything that we have done with SS in regards to school and outings during visitation and things SS has said too. It is kept on Microsoft Word on the computer and also saved on my DH email as well.

I think I will get some tabs and arrange the contempt stuff including evidence as you mentioned. There are letters of intent and denial, reciepts, recorded phone messages and conversations, and letters from BM as well. Do you think I should type up something in cronological order that has only to do with the contempts?

Thanks for the advise!

[Stepmom0418]

DH says to just let the attorney handle it but I am the kind that cant just sit back and let someone else do it. But I am stressed on how to organize all of these documents! Grrrrr!

Anyone out there that can offer some advise I am open to any and all suggestions.

[MYSONSDAD]

I use a 3 ring binder, catagorized by topic, red-high concern, green- financial-blue medical-orange correspondence yellow- caution, important, but not crutial, and so on. I also use pocket folders, they are labeled in order with the binder, using the same colors, you can use these for added information. You can look at a glance and know exactly what is in the folders.

I have found that some of the same documents are also for something other then the trial itself. I make extra copies so that I do not disrupt what I need for trial.

Clean off your table, put things in order as what they pertain to. Use the most important in the binder itself and back up information in the pocket folders. I also try to keep things lined up as it occured, by date. It helps make it easier to follow with it  in order. Have things organized and easy to find. The smoother you can keep things in front of the Judge, the more they may pay attention.

I also make copies of everything. Keep the originals somewhere other then at your home. Check with your attorney about what originals will be needed in court. Most of the time, copies will be good, but there may be a few things, originals is the only way to go.

Hope this helps...

[EyeforKids]

Like MSD, I use the binder system.  

Take your papers and put them in stacks by category.  Then take a look at your stacks and see if two or three really relate to each other to consolidate them into one stack.

Next, organize them by date with the oldest on top.

Then put them in a binder or several binders if you have too much stuff.

Label each binder.

[Davy]

I used a system where every document was indexed using an alpha-numeric (ie A12, C34) designation where the alpha character represented a major topic  and the numeric character represented a document within the major topic.  Index tabs were attached to seperator pages and bound by clear plastic page binders and stored in expandable folders within a larger expandable folder.  Everything was viewable with a quick glance.

I created and maintained two all inclusive documents.  A separate index page (item and date) provided ready reference to each document.  The most important document I created was a Case Summary (item/date) that provided a brief description of each event (with cross reference to relevant indexes).  It not only provided ease of verbal/written communications but allowed attorneys and others a quick well-documented analysis.  It eased self representation and when matters went pseudo-criminal.  

Like others, I kept a pristine master file with copies that was updated on a timely basis.   I did not use a 'ring' binder because I wanted to preserve the originality of the master file.  In addition to anything related to the kids, I kept magazine articles, appellant cases and supreme cases, do dah do dah including personal notes......

I think a well documented and orgainized case file helped retain serious legal assistance, etc...it was a sure sign I wasn't just screwin around and was dead serious.  In the day....mother custody was automatic (97.9) and a father requesting custody was thought to be a nutcase.  

Best of all to ya'll.

[Lawmoe]

Make separate copies for each hearing.

Lawyers often put exhibits in trial notebooks. They should be separated by Issue. Include documents organized by tabs behind dividers for each issue such as:

Custody:

1) Police Reports
2) report Cards
3) Restraining Orders
4) Custody Evaluations
5) Letters
6) Photos of children, your home or other relevant things
7) Medical recorcds of children reflectig who took them to the doctor or reflecting injuries from negligence
8) Child Protection Reports
9) Your Proposed Parenting Plan to teh Court

Child Support/Maintenance:

1) Tax Returns
2) Paystubs
3) Resumes
4) Employment Contracts
5) Any Documents refoecting income
6) List of Monthly Expenses
7) List of Debts with attached invoices and statements reflecting debt

Real Estate

1) Real Estate Appraisal
2) Tax assessed value
3) Outstanding Mortgage Docs
4) Documents relating to purchase or proposed sale

Retirement Plans and Investments

1) 401K plan Statement
2) retirement Plan Statements
3) Stock Statements
4) Copies of any bonds
5) Stock Option award documents
6) Bank Statements
7) Life Insurance Policies and values

Vehicles

1) Titles
2) NADA Value of each vehicle
3) Any documents showing outstanding debt on vehicle

AND SO ON