Build or review an element chart — a patent claim chart (infringement, invalidity, or review) or a civil element chart for any cause of action or defense — with every cell pin-cited and gap detection as the priority output. Use when the user asks for a claim chart, element chart, proof chart, infringement or invalidity contention, element-by-element mapping, or asks "what are we missing to prove [claim]".
Build or review an element chart — a patent claim chart (infringement, invalidity, or review) or a civil element chart for any cause of action or defense — with every cell pin-cited and gap detection as the priority output. Use when the user asks for a claim chart, element chart, proof chart, infringement or invalidity contention, element-by-element mapping, or asks "what are we missing to prove [claim]".
If matter workspaces enabled, confirm or select the active matter; load matter.md (side, jurisdiction, phase, theory, pleadings).
Follow the workflow and reference below.
Mode selection:
--patent → patent claim chart. Require patent number and at least one asserted claim. Sub-modes: --infringement, --invalidity, --review.
--civil → civil element chart. Require the cause of action (or defense) and the side.
No flag → ask the user which.
For civil mode: consult references/element-templates.md in the skill directory for the baseline element list. Confirm the controlling pattern instruction or statute with the user before mapping.
For patent mode: parse asserted claims into elements, flag disputed terms for construction, apply any Markman order.
Map elements against the target (accused product / prior art / evidence corpus / chart under review). Every cell pin-cited. Apply the apostrophe-prefix neutralization before writing any cell value starting with =, +, -, @, tab, or CR.
Produce the gap list (civil) or needs-evidence list (patent) — the priority output.
Write markdown, CSV (values + _sources companion), and Excel or Sheets per user preference. Work-product header on every output.
Write to the matter's claim-charts/ folder if a matter is active; otherwise the practice-level claim-charts/ folder. Append a one-line entry to history.md if a matter is active.
Return a summary readout: claim(s), target(s), jurisdiction, phase, element counts by state, the gap list, file paths, and the reminder that every cell is a lead.
Claim Chart
Disclosed-document use restrictions
Before working with a set of litigation documents, ask: "Were any of these documents obtained through disclosure or discovery in legal proceedings?" If yes:
England & Wales (CPR 31.22): Documents obtained through disclosure are subject to the implied undertaking — you may only use them for the purpose of the proceedings in which they were disclosed, unless the court grants permission, the disclosing party consents, or the document has been read in open court. Using them for a different matter, a different claim, or a commercial purpose without permission is a contempt.
US: Protective orders and Rule 26(c) may impose similar restrictions. Check the order.
Other jurisdictions: Similar restrictions commonly apply. Check the local rule.
Confirm: "This use is within the proceedings in which the documents were disclosed, or I have permission / consent, or the documents are now public." If not confirmed, flag it: "⚠️ Disclosed documents may have use restrictions. Confirm this use is permitted before proceeding."
A CHART IS A DRAFT, NOT A FINDING OR A CONTENTION
Put this at the top of every output. Do not drop it. Do not soften it.
This chart is a draft for attorney analysis and verification, not a filed contention, an MSJ brief, an opening statement, or a legal opinion. Every mapping is a lead the attorney must verify against the source. The elements listed come from pattern jury instructions, the Restatement, or the claim language as parsed — the controlling authority in the user's jurisdiction (CACI / NYPJI / the circuit's pattern charge / the governing statute / a Markman order) may differ and always controls. Gap detection is a starting point for discovery or a motion; it is not a conclusion about the merits.
Under-flagging a gap is a one-way door — a complaint filed without plausibility on an element, an MSJ response served without evidence for a disputed element, or a case tried without proof of damages. Over-flagging is a two-way door — the attorney clears flags in review. The default is biased toward the two-way door.
Matter context
Check ## Matter workspaces in the practice-level CLAUDE.md. If Enabled is ✗ (the default for in-house users), skip the rest of this paragraph — skills use practice-level context and the matter machinery is invisible. If enabled and there is no active matter, ask: "Which matter is this for? Run /litigation-legal:matter-workspace switch <slug> or say practice-level." Load the active matter's matter.md — especially the case theory, the pleading / complaint (for the elements actually alleged), the jurisdiction, any Markman order or stipulated constructions (patent mode), and the phase of the case. Write outputs to the matter folder at ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/litigation-legal/matters/<matter-slug>/claim-charts/. Never read another matter's files unless Cross-matter context is on.
Active matter's matter.md — claims, defenses, side, jurisdiction, phase, theory
For civil mode: the complaint or counterclaim (for the actually-pleaded counts), any answer (for the actually-pleaded affirmative defenses), the relevant pattern jury instruction source, and the governing statute if statutory. Also the evidence corpus — deposition transcripts, declarations, produced documents, expert reports.
For patent mode: the patent, the asserted claims, the specification, prosecution history if available, the accused-product material or prior art reference, any Markman order or stipulated constructions.
If CLAUDE.md has [PLACEHOLDER] markers, surface this bounce:
I notice you haven't configured your practice profile yet — that's how I tailor risk calibration, landscape, and house style to your practice.
Two choices:
Run /litigation-legal:cold-start-interview (2 minutes) to configure your profile, then I'll run this tailored to YOUR practice.
Say "provisional" and I'll run this against generic defaults — US jurisdiction, middle risk appetite, lawyer role, no playbook — and tag every output [PROVISIONAL — configure your profile for tailored output] so you can see what I do before committing.
Provisional mode
If the user says "provisional," build the claim chart normally using these generic defaults: middle risk appetite, lawyer role, US jurisdiction, no practice-level playbook (work from the matter's pleadings and the elements of the claims as pleaded). Tag the reviewer note and every row of the chart with [PROVISIONAL]. At the end of the output, append:
"That was a generic run against default assumptions. Run /litigation-legal:cold-start-interview to get output calibrated to YOUR practice — your risk calibration, your landscape, your house style. 2 minutes."
Conflicts gate — unbypassable. Before building a claim chart, check ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/litigation-legal/matters/_log.yaml for the matter slug. If the matter is not in _log.yaml, refuse and route:
"I don't see [matter slug] in the matter log. Run /litigation-legal:matter-intake first so the conflicts check runs and the matter workspace is set up. I won't build a claim chart on a matter that hasn't been intaken — the conflicts check is the gate."
Do not proceed on an unintaken matter. Intake is what runs conflicts and writes the _log.yaml row this skill reads from.
Mode selection
Ask at the top, before anything else:
Which kind of chart?
Patent claim chart — element-by-element mapping of claim limitations against an accused product (--infringement), prior art (--invalidity), or another party's chart (--review). For patent contentions, IPR petitions / responses, FTO charts.
Civil element chart — elements of a cause of action (or affirmative defense) mapped against the evidence. For complaint plausibility checks, discovery planning, MSJ prep, order-of-proof outlines.
Plus intake (common to both):
Side. Asserting or defending? (In civil mode this flips the burden; in patent mode it flips infringement/invalidity framing.)
Jurisdiction / forum. State and court — pattern instructions vary (CACI in California, NYPJI in New York, federal circuits' pattern charges, state-specific variations). In patent mode, Patent Local Rules vary (N.D. Cal., E.D. Tex., D. Del., ITC, PTAB). Flag which controls.
Phase. Pre-filing, pleadings, discovery, MSJ, trial prep, post-trial. The chart is the same; the framing of the output changes.
Existing chart? If --review, load it.
MODE 1 — Patent claim chart
Sub-modes
--infringement — claim elements vs. accused product (PLR 3-1 infringement contentions, IPR/PGR response exhibits, complaint exhibits)
--invalidity — claim elements vs. prior art (PLR 3-3 invalidity contentions, IPR/PGR petition exhibits, §102/§103 defenses)
--review — audit a chart someone else produced
Additional patent-mode intake
Patent number and asserted claims. Which independent, which dependent. (Don't chart unasserted claims unless asked.)
Priority date. Establishes the §102 bar and the effective filing date for the AIA / pre-AIA regime.
Existing constructions. Markman order, stipulated constructions, constructions proposed in briefing.
Patent-mode workflow
Step 1: Parse the claims
Parse asserted independent claims into numbered elements. Handle:
Preamble. Note whether it's limiting — a question of claim construction (Catalina Marketing Int'l, Inc. v. Coolsavings.com, Inc., 289 F.3d 801 (Fed. Cir. 2002)). Flag preamble-limiting: unresolved unless the construction order resolves it.
Elements separated by commas / semicolons, numbered [1a], [1b], [1c]. Keep numbering stable — it's the chart's spine.
Means-plus-function (§112(f)) — every "means for [function]" or non-structural functional term. Scope is the structure disclosed in the spec plus equivalents. Cite corresponding structure by col./line. If the spec fails to disclose structure, flag indefinite-112f.
Markush groups, Jepson claims, product-by-process, method-step order dependencies — flag with a note on unusual construction rules.
Dependent claims — reference parent; chart only the additional limitations. Execute, don't gesture. If asserted claims include dependents, produce the actual additional-limitation rows for each dependent in Step 4 — do not emit a note that dependents "should be charted."
Structural-term cognates — default to construction-dependent. For each element that recites a structural noun with a common cognate in the prior art of the field, default the row's state to literal-construction-dependent (not literal) unless the spec expressly defines the term or an existing Markman order forecloses the ambiguity. These are the terms most commonly disputed at Markman — presuming a clean literal read under-flags the risk. Common cognate families to flag proactively:
Field
Cognate family (flag as structural-term-cognate)
Fasteners / anchors
barb / thread / projection / ridge / fin / tooth
Fluidics / catheters
lumen / channel / bore / passage / conduit
Mechanical housings
hub / boss / flange / collar / shoulder
Fasteners / joints
socket / recess / pocket / cavity
Electrical / electronic
contact / terminal / pad / lead
Optical
lens / reflector / window / aperture
Structural
wall / member / support / strut / rib
Surfaces
surface / face / interface
This list is not exhaustive — if the claim recites a structural noun that could reasonably be read narrowly (pointed barb vs. any projection) or broadly (channel vs. any passage), flag structural-term-cognate in _constructions and default the row to construction-dependent. The attorney can demote it to literal after a Markman order or a definition in the spec forecloses the ambiguity.
Show the parse to the user. Confirm before mapping. A wrong parse poisons every row below it.
Step 2: Claim construction check
Flag disputed terms:
Coined terms or terms defined in the spec
Terms with prosecution history (amendments, arguments, disavowals — Phillips v. AWH Corp., 415 F.3d 1303 (Fed. Cir. 2005); Festo estoppel)
Functional language ("configured to", "adapted to", "operable to")
Relative terms ("substantially", "about") — definiteness risk under Nautilus, Inc. v. Biosig Instruments, Inc., 572 U.S. 898 (2014)
Computer-implemented terms — Alice / §101 exposure for invalidity
For each flagged term, state the construction(s) under which the mapping works and the construction(s) under which it fails. If a Markman order exists, apply it. If briefing is underway, chart under each side's proposed construction.
Step 3: Map
For each element, for each target:
Find evidence. Accused product: documentation, manuals, data sheets, source code, teardowns, deposition testimony, expert reports. Prior art: column/line for US patents, paragraph for published apps, page/figure for NPL. For prior art, flag whether the reference qualifies (§102(a)(1), (a)(2), (b); AIA vs. pre-AIA cutoffs). If prior-art status isn't obvious, mark prior-art-status: needs-evidence.
Quote verbatim. Character-for-character. No paraphrase. Cut at sentence boundaries and mark elision.
Characterize the mapping.
Mapping
Meaning
Where
literal
Claim language reads on the accused feature / prior-art disclosure
Both
literal-construction-dependent
Literal under X; fails under Y
Both
doe
Equivalent (function-way-result or insubstantial differences)
Infringement only
anticipation
Every element in a single reference, arranged as claimed (Net MoneyIN, Inc. v. VeriSign, Inc., 545 F.3d 1359 (Fed. Cir. 2008))
Invalidity only
obviousness-combination
Secondary reference supplies the missing element; motivation to combine required under KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398 (2007)
Invalidity only
partial
Some of the element is present
Both
not-found
Element not present
Both
needs-evidence
Can't tell from available material
Both
construction-dependent
Turns on how a disputed term is construed
Both
State per cell.mapped / mapped-doe / partial / not-found / needs-evidence / construction-dependent / anticipation / obviousness-combination.
Flag open questions. "This maps if [X]. Need [teardown / source code / deposition / expert] to confirm."
No silent supplement. Thin documentation means needs-evidence, not extrapolation from similar products.
Step 4: Dependent claims — execute, don't gesture
For each asserted dependent claim, produce an actual row (or set of rows) charting the additional limitation(s) against the target. The parent dependency is noted, and infringement / invalidity of the dependent requires the parent's. Produce the rows, not a placeholder note that rows should be produced.
If the user provided a list of asserted claims that includes dependents, the chart's output MUST contain rows for each of them. If the user gave only the independent claim and said "chart the independents for now," fine — then the output doesn't chart dependents, but it surfaces the dropped ones explicitly ("Asserted dependents [X, Y, Z] not charted in this run — request: rerun with --include-dependents or paste the dependent claim text"). Do not silently skip dependents.
A dependent-claim row format:
| [#] | Element (verbatim) | Accused feature (or prior-art disclosure) | Evidence (pin-cited) | Mapping | State | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 [add'l] | "wherein the barb extends at an angle of 15° to 30° from the body axis" | AnchorFast Mini barb angle 18° per [CM-AM-2026-03 Fig. 4 + §2.3] | [CM-AM-2026-03 §2.3] "barb angle 18° ±2°" | literal-construction-dependent | mapped | ☐ |
Step 4.5: DOE supplements — execute, don't gesture
For every element charted as literal where the accused feature is structurally similar but not literally identical — or every element where the literal mapping turns on a contested construction — produce a paired DOE candidacy row (infringement mode). Do not footnote "DOE analysis is separate" without producing the actual DOE mapping.
A DOE candidacy row adds a one-paragraph function-way-result sketch, flags prosecution history estoppel and dedication-to-the-public risks per element, and cites the evidence that would support the equivalent. If DOE is inapplicable (the element reads literally on the accused product beyond dispute), skip. If literal is construction-dependent and DOE would be the attorney's fallback under the narrower construction, produce the DOE row.
Format:
| [#-DOE] | Element | Accused feature | Function-way-result | PH estoppel? | Dedication risk? | State |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1b-DOE | "at least one barb" | three-barb opposing-face array | function: resist withdrawal; way: mechanical engagement with cancellous bone; result: anchor remains seated under tensile load. | [needs-evidence: prosecution history] | [needs-evidence: disclosed-but-unclaimed alternatives in spec] | construction-dependent |
As with dependents: if the skill can't produce the DOE rows for a reason (no accused-product evidence to ground function-way-result, no prosecution history available), say so explicitly and route to needs-evidence. Do not skip DOE silently.
Induced (§271(b)) — Commil USA, LLC v. Cisco Systems, Inc., 575 U.S. 632 (2015); Global-Tech Appliances, Inc. v. SEB S.A., 563 U.S. 754 (2011)
Contributory (§271(c)) — component especially made for infringing use
Divided / joint (§271(a)) — Akamai Techs., Inc. v. Limelight Networks, Inc., 797 F.3d 1020 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (en banc) directs/controls test
Willfulness — Halo Elecs., Inc. v. Pulse Elecs., Inc., 579 U.S. 93 (2016); treble damages under §284
Step 6: Invalidity thresholds (invalidity only)
For §102: every element in a single reference. Partial across references is §103.
For §103: primary reference + secondary reference(s) + documented motivation under KSR. Flag explicit teaching/suggestion/motivation, market or design-need motivation, reasonable expectation of success, and secondary considerations (Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1 (1966)) — commercial success, long-felt need, failure of others, industry praise, copying.
Also flag:
§101 — Alice Corp. Pty. Ltd. v. CLS Bank Int'l, 573 U.S. 208 (2014); Mayo Collaborative Servs. v. Prometheus Labs., Inc., 566 U.S. 66 (2012)
§112 ¶ 1 — written description, enablement (Amgen Inc. v. Sanofi, 598 U.S. 594 (2023))
Invalidity must be shown by clear and convincing evidence — Microsoft Corp. v. i4i Ltd. P'ship, 564 U.S. 91 (2011). Prima facie in a chart is not proof at trial.
Step 7 (review sub-mode): Audit
For each row: is the mapping supported? Is the pin cite accurate? Is the element fully accounted for? What's the strongest counter? What's the rebuttal opportunity? Output verdicts per row (supported / weak / unsupported) and the chart's vulnerabilities.
Patent-mode guardrails (in addition to shared guardrails)
Rule 11 / Patent Local Rule. Infringement and invalidity contentions require a reasonable inquiry and a non-frivolous basis. A chart out of this skill is a draft, not a contention.
Claim construction candor. Every construction-dependent row states the construction assumed and the construction under which the mapping fails.
DOE candor. A DOE mapping is not equivalent to a literal one. Flag prosecution history estoppel and dedication-to-the-public risks per element.
Indirect is separate. Don't fold induced / contributory into direct-infringement rows.
Invalidity burden on the chart. State the clear-and-convincing standard.
MODE 2 — Civil element chart
Map the elements of a cause of action (or affirmative defense) against the evidence. The killer outputs are (a) a chart that says what evidence goes with what element and (b) a gap list that tells the attorney what's missing.
Workflow
Step 1: Identify the claim(s)
What cause of action? (Or defense?) If multiple counts, chart each separately.
Which side? Plaintiff's prima facie case, defendant's affirmative defense, defendant's challenge to plaintiff's prima facie case (MSJ mode). Read ## Side in the practice profile for the default — plaintiff defaults to mapping the prima facie case (proving the elements); defense defaults to mapping gaps and affirmative defenses (disproving or avoiding the elements). Confirm the posture matches this matter before starting.
Which jurisdiction? State and court. Elements and pattern-instruction language vary by jurisdiction. The template library is a baseline; the controlling pattern instruction or statute controls.
Which pleading? Load the complaint / counterclaim / answer so the chart tracks the counts actually pleaded, not a generic version.
Step 2: Load the elements
Three paths:
(a) Template library. Reference references/element-templates.md (in this skill's directory). Baseline elements for common causes of action and common affirmative defenses, with citations to the Restatement / pattern instructions and a jurisdiction caveat. Select the template that matches the pleaded count.
(b) Custom. User defines elements, or pastes a jury instruction / statute / a count from the complaint to parse. Parse into numbered elements.
(c) Affirmative defenses. Also support mapping defenses — statute of limitations, laches, estoppel, waiver, unclean hands, release, accord and satisfaction, failure to mitigate, comparative fault, contributory negligence, assumption of risk, etc. Defenses have their own elements the defendant must prove (or, for some, the plaintiff must negate once raised).
Jurisdiction-specific formulations — surface proactively. If the practice profile's ## Company profile → Core jurisdictions or the active matter's matter.md names Delaware, New York, or California (the three most-common commercial fora), surface the state-specific formulation proactively alongside the baseline — do not ask "does your jurisdiction add/drop/reword" first. The user shouldn't have to teach the skill the local rule; the skill should offer it and let the user choose.
Divergences to surface without being asked (non-exhaustive — add to this list as patterns recur):
Cause of action / defense
Baseline (Restatement / pattern)
Jurisdiction-specific formulation
Breach of contract
4 elements (contract, performance, breach, damages; CACI 303)
DE: 3 elements — contractual obligation, breach, damages (causation folded into breach) per VLIW Tech., LLC v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 840 A.2d 606 (Del. 2003). DE adds a 5th element — no adequate remedy at law — when the claim seeks specific performance.
Breach of contract — goods
Common-law breach elements
If goods + U.C.C. Article 2 jurisdiction (all 50 states except LA): load U.C.C. breach elements (conforming tender, acceptance / rejection / revocation, cure, cover, seller's remedies). Present both; let user pick.
Breach of contract — multi-lot goods / installment contract
Common-law breach or U.C.C. § 2-711 (single-delivery breach framework)
Installment contracts under U.C.C. § 2-612 — "substantial impairment of the value of the installment" replaces the perfect-tender rule; aggregate breach requires "substantial impairment of the value of the whole contract." If the contract calls for goods to be delivered in separate lots (multiple shipments, deliveries), default to § 2-612 framing — it is the governing regime and the analysis is materially different from single-delivery breach. Flag for signer: "This is drafted as an installment contract under § 2-612 — confirm that characterization matches the contract's delivery structure."
CA: follow CACI No. 400 formulation (negligence per se per CACI 418 when applicable). NY: PJI 2:10 formulation — slightly different language on proximate cause.
Negligent misrepresentation
Restatement (Second) Torts § 552 — justifiable reliance, pecuniary loss
NY: requires contemporaneous privity or a relationship "so close as to approach that of privity" per Credit Alliance Corp. v. Arthur Andersen & Co., 65 N.Y.2d 536 (1985).
Fraud
9 elements (often condensed to 5 — representation, materiality, knowledge of falsity, intent to induce, justifiable reliance, damages)
DE: 5 elements per Stephenson v. Capano Dev., 462 A.2d 1069 (Del. 1983). CA: CACI 1900 formulation — 5 elements with reliance being "justifiable." NY: requires pleading with particularity under CPLR 3016(b), and scienter is a distinct element.
Breach of fiduciary duty
Restatement / common law — fiduciary duty, breach, damages
DE: the most-developed body of fiduciary-duty law (Aronson v. Lewis, Cede & Co. v. Technicolor, In re Trados) — default to the Delaware formulation for any DE-entity matter regardless of forum.
When a jurisdiction-specific formulation differs materially from the baseline, the chart opens with a one-line callout:
Jurisdiction note: You told me this is a [DE/NY/CA] matter. Here's how [jurisdiction]'s formulation differs from the baseline: [divergence]. The chart below uses the [jurisdiction] formulation. If that's wrong, say so and I'll reload.
Confirm the element list with the user before mapping. If the user's jurisdiction isn't DE/NY/CA, ask: "Does your jurisdiction's pattern instruction add / drop / reword any of these?" If yes, use their version.
Step 3: Map
For each element:
Evidence supporting — what proves this element? Cite the source with a pin cite.
Deposition testimony — [Doe Dep. 42:15–43:7]
Declaration — [Smith Decl. ¶ 12]
Produced document — [DEF00012345 at 3]
Admission — [Def.'s Resp. to RFA No. 5]
Exhibit — [Trial Ex. 14 at 2]
Expert report — [Jones Expert Rep. at 18]
Discovery response — [Pl.'s Resp. to Interrog. No. 8]
Statute / case — for purely legal elements
Verbatim quote where the evidence is testimonial or documentary. No paraphrase.
Evidence contradicting — what cuts the other way? Cite it. This is the row's vulnerability.
Strength — strong / moderate / weak / none. Keep it simple. Over-calibrated strength scores are noise; weak and none are the rows that matter.
State per cell — supported / partial / disputed / gap / needs-discovery.
Step 4: Gap detection — the killer output
After mapping, produce a gap list. This is the point of the chart.
Elements with thin or no evidence: [list]
If asserting (plaintiff): these defeat your complaint's plausibility (Iqbal/Twombly), your MSJ opposition, or your case at trial. Close them before the next motion.
If defending: these are your MSJ targets and your directed-verdict motion. The plaintiff has to prove each element; a gap is a defense.
If pre-discovery: these are your discovery priorities — the depositions, document requests, and interrogatories that turn a gap into supported or confirm none.
Gap detection is not a conclusion about the merits. It's a map of where the case is light.
Step 5: Phase-aware framing
Ask the phase. Same chart; different framing on the output:
Pre-filing / pleadings. Does the complaint allege each element with plausibility (Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662 (2009); Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544 (2007))? Any element pleaded on information and belief without factual support is a 12(b)(6) target.
Discovery. For each gap or needs-discovery element, what discovery is needed? Which witnesses, which document custodians, which interrogatories, which RFAs.
MSJ. For each element, is there a genuine dispute of material fact? A supported cell for the movant with no contradicting evidence is summary-judgment ammunition; a disputed cell is MSJ-defeating.
Trial. Order of proof. Which witness proves element 1, which exhibit proves element 2, who authenticates, what's the foundation. The chart becomes the trial outline.
Step 6 (review sub-mode): Audit
For an opposing party's MSJ brief, a motion to dismiss, or outside counsel's draft: for each element, does their cited evidence actually prove it? Where is their chart thin? What's your strongest counter?
Civil-mode guardrails (in addition to shared guardrails)
Jurisdiction. The element list is a baseline. Always confirm the controlling pattern instruction (CACI, NYPJI, federal circuit pattern charge, etc.) or statute. State the source on the chart's _elements sheet.
Pleaded counts only. Chart what's actually pleaded. Don't add a count the complaint doesn't allege just because the facts might support it — that's a different analysis.
Affirmative defenses. If mapping defenses, note whether the burden is on the defendant (most) or whether raising the defense shifts a burden to the plaintiff.
"Gap" ≠ "case over." A gap is a lead. Discovery, a declaration, or an expert report can close it. The chart shows where to dig.
Shared chassis (both modes)
Output
Prepend the work-product header from ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/litigation-legal/CLAUDE.md## Outputs.
Markdown table (always)
One table per claim / defense / patent-claim per target.
Gap list (civil mode) / needs-evidence list (patent mode) — the priority output
What cuts which way — summary — strongest elements, weakest elements
Conclusion line — "This skill does not conclude." Elements mapped/supported: [list]. Elements needing evidence / in a gap state: [list]. Elements construction-dependent (patent) / disputed (civil): [list]. Attorney judgment required.
Citation verification — every pin cite, case, column/line, deposition page:line must be verified against the source.
CSV / spreadsheet cell safety. Before writing any cell value, check the first character. If it is =, +, -, @, tab (\t), or carriage return (\r), prepend a single apostrophe (') to neutralize Excel/Sheets formula interpretation. Verbatim evidence from adversarial sources (opposing counsel's contentions, competitor product manuals, third-party prior art, scraped web pages, deposition transcripts, discovery productions) can contain strings that a spreadsheet will execute as formulas (=HYPERLINK(...), =cmd|...!A1, +WEBSERVICE(...)), turning the chart into a data-exfiltration or RCE vector when an attorney opens it. RFC 4180 quoting alone does not defeat this — the leading = is still interpreted. Apply the apostrophe prefix in CSV, XLSX, and Sheets outputs. Log cells where this was applied so the reviewer can see which quotes were neutralized.
Spreadsheet (Excel or Sheets)
Ask which the team works in. Use the pattern from corporate-legal's tabular-review skill — same cell-level citation model, same state-based color coding, same Verified column, same schema sheet:
One row per element (or element × target if comparing multiple targets)
Each evidence column paired with a hidden source column containing the verbatim quote and pin cite; cell comments (Excel) or notes (Sheets) surface the quote on hover
Color coding by state:
Patent: white = mapped, yellow = construction-dependent / partial / DOE, orange = needs-evidence, red = not-found
Civil: white = supported, yellow = partial / disputed, orange = needs-discovery, red = gap
Verified column per evidence column, blank by default — reviewer marks it
_elements sheet documenting the element source: pattern jury instruction (CACI No. X, NYPJI §Y, federal circuit pattern charge), statute (cite), Restatement section, or patent-claim parse. This is what makes the chart auditable — a reader can see where the elements came from.
_gaps sheet listing every gap, needs-evidence, or needs-discovery row with what's still needed
For patent mode only: _claim-parse sheet (element decomposition), _constructions sheet (disputed terms and assumed constructions)
Apply the apostrophe-prefix neutralization to every cell written into the spreadsheet.
Prepend the work-product header as the top row. Alongside it, include:
This chart is derived from source documents that may be privileged, confidential, or both. It inherits the sources' privilege and confidentiality status — distribution beyond the privilege circle can waive privilege. Store with the matter's privileged files and make distribution decisions deliberately. Nothing in this chart has been filed or served; it is a draft for attorney review.
If matter workspaces enabled and a matter is active: ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/litigation-legal/matters/<matter-slug>/claim-charts/. Otherwise: ~/.claude/plugins/config/claude-for-legal/litigation-legal/claim-charts/. Surface the path. Append a one-line entry to the matter's history.md.
Summary readout
After the chart is written, give a one-screen readout:
Elements charted · supported/mapped · partial · disputed · gap / needs-evidence · not-found
The gap list (civil) or needs-evidence list (patent) — this is the priority list
Where the output files are
Reminder: every cell is a lead. The chart is a draft, not a contention / brief / order of proof.
Non-lawyer gate
If ## Who's using this Role is Non-lawyer:
This chart is a research draft, not a legal filing. Serving contentions, filing a brief, or relying on this for a merits opinion has Rule 11 and substantive legal consequences. An attorney in the relevant jurisdiction must review before this is used for any legal purpose.
Here's a one-page brief to bring to an attorney:
[Generate: claim / patent, side, jurisdiction, phase, elements, supported / gap / needs-discovery counts, the three most load-bearing open questions.]
Deliver the chart alongside the brief.
Shared guardrails — checklist
Citation verification. Every pin cite (column/line, page, deposition page:line, Bates, ¶) is a claim about the source. The attorney verifies. The skill does not fabricate cites — if a cite cannot be produced, the cell is needs-evidence or gap.
Source attribution. Every verbatim quote has its source in the companion CSV and the spreadsheet's hidden source column. A quote without a source is not evidence.
No silent supplement. Thin evidence means needs-evidence / gap, not "extrapolate." Do not fill from web search, training data, or "how these cases usually go" to close a gap.
Matter workspace check. Confirm the active matter before writing. Never write matter A's chart into matter B's folder.
Decision posture. When uncertain whether an element is met, flag; do not decide. partial tells the attorney what part is missing.
Formula injection. Every cell written to CSV / XLSX / Sheets is checked for leading =, +, -, @, \t, \r and prefixed with '. Default: neutralize-then-write.
Elements are jurisdiction-specific. The template library is a baseline. The controlling pattern instruction or statute controls.
A chart is not a brief, a filing, or a contention. Every output is a draft.
Relationship to other skills
ip-legal:infringement-triage (patent mode) — the first-pass flag list. This skill is the full chart that comes next.
ip-legal:fto-triage — FTO uses the same mechanics from the potentially-accused posture. If evaluating own product vs. a third-party patent, route to FTO and use this skill's format.
corporate-legal:tabular-review — the underlying cell-level citation and verification-state pattern. A claim / element chart is a specialized tabular review.
litigation-legal:chronology — the chronology is the timeline; the element chart is the proof matrix. A chronology entry often becomes a cell's evidence cite.
litigation-legal:deposition-prep — a needs-discovery cell often becomes a depo topic. After a depo, new testimony fills cells.
litigation-legal:brief-section-drafter — an MSJ brief's fact section is often built directly off the supported rows of an element chart.
Close with the next-steps decision tree
End with the next-steps decision tree per CLAUDE.md ## Outputs. Customize the options to what this skill just produced — the five default branches (draft the X, escalate, get more facts, watch and wait, something else) are a starting point, not a lock-in. The tree is the output; the lawyer picks.
What this skill does not do
It does not conclude. Not infringement, not non-infringement, not liability, not non-liability. Ever.
It does not decide claim construction (patent) or the controlling elements (civil). It flags disputed terms / baseline elements and charts under stated assumptions.
It does not meet the clear-and-convincing burden for invalidity or the preponderance at trial. It produces a prima facie draft for attorney review.
It does not substitute for expert analysis. Source code review, teardowns, technical experts, damages experts are separate work products this chart routes to, not replaces.
It does not serve, file, or sign anything. Every output is a draft. An attorney serves and files.
It does not extrapolate. If the evidence isn't there, the cell is needs-evidence / gap — never a guess.
