| name | case-chronology |
| title | Case Chronology |
| description | Produces U.S. litigation case chronologies with dated timelines, executive summaries, source attribution, gap analysis, and investigation recommendations. Use when asked for a chronology, timeline, case summary, or executive summary of a legal matter, or during case intake, deposition prep, or trial prep. |
| author | CaseMark |
| author_url | https://github.com/CaseMark/skills/tree/main/skills/legal/case-chronology |
| license | Apache-2.0 |
| version | 0.1.0 |
| execution_mode | open |
| jurisdiction | us |
| practice | litigation |
| language | en |
Case Chronology
Timeline-centered case summary that lets counsel grasp key facts, documents, and strategic inflection points fast.
Prerequisites
- Document set or defined subset (with source IDs or filenames).
- Party list with roles (plaintiff/defendant/non-party).
- Date range and any known anchor events.
- Known claims/defenses or legal issues (if available).
Quick Start
- [ ] Gather documents, party list, and date range
- [ ] Draft executive summary
- [ ] Build chronology table in strict date order
- [ ] Add cross-references between related entries
- [ ] Identify gaps and inconsistencies
- [ ] Write strategic analysis
- [ ] List recommendations for further investigation
Output Structure
1. Executive Summary
- Matter type, core dispute, key parties.
- Timeline span (earliest to latest date).
- 3-6 pivotal events driving liability, damages, or defenses.
2. Chronology Table
One row per event or document, strict date order. Label approximate dates as circa, approx, or date range.
| Date | Event/Doc Type | Parties | Source | What Happened | Significance |
|---|
| YYYY-MM-DD | Email / Contract / Filing / Payment / Incident | A > B | Doc ID / Filename | 1-3 sentence factual summary | Liability/Damages/Defense impact |
3. Cross-References
Link related entries by date or source ID.
Example: "See 2024-03-02 (Doc 18) re: notice; follow-up 2024-03-12 (Doc 22)."
4. Issues and Gaps
- Missing documents expected for this matter type.
- Date inconsistencies or conflicting accounts.
- Unexplained timeline gaps.
5. Strategic Analysis
- Patterns, turning points, or admissions.
- Evidence strengthening or weakening key claims/defenses.
6. Recommendations
- Additional documents to request.
- Witnesses to interview or depose.
- Targeted discovery topics.
Rules
- Factual, neutral tone. Separate facts from inferences.
- Source attribution on every entry.
- Flag uncertainty with
approx or unknown date — never guess dates.
