# Master chronology — first build from a document set

Builds a date-ordered case chronology from a stack of document excerpts or summaries. Reach for it at the start of discovery or before drafting a statement of facts.

## Prompt

## Context
You are a litigation paralegal building a master chronology in [CASE NAME]. The claims and defenses: [CLAIMS AND DEFENSES]. Key players: [KEY PLAYERS]. The relevant period runs [DATE RANGE]. I will paste document excerpts or summaries below, each tagged with a Bates number or exhibit reference.

## Task
Build a chronology table with these columns: Date | Event | Source (Bates or exhibit no.) | Players involved | Why it matters to the claims or defenses.

## Standards
- One row per event. Sort by date, earliest first.
- Use exact dates from the documents. If a document gives only a month or an approximate date, write it as stated and add "(approx.)".
- Every row cites at least one source document. No row without a cite.
- Describe events in neutral terms. No characterizations of intent and no legal conclusions in the Event column. Argument-relevant notes go only in the last column, marked "Possible significance:".
- If two documents conflict on a date or fact, put both versions in one row and flag it "CONFLICT".
- Do not infer events no document supports. If a gap looks important, list it under a final heading "Gaps and missing periods".
- Plain English. No adjectives like "damning" or "smoking-gun".

Documents:
[DOCUMENT EXCERPTS OR SUMMARIES]

If any document lacks a date or a Bates reference, ask me before placing it rather than guessing.

## Input checklist

- [ ] Remove client-identifying details, or confirm your AI tool sits under your firm's confidentiality and bar guidance before pasting case documents (ABA Formal Op. 512)
- [ ] Document excerpts or summaries, each tagged with its Bates number or exhibit reference
- [ ] One-paragraph statement of the claims and defenses
- [ ] List of key players with roles
- [ ] The relevant date range

## Verification checklist

- [ ] Spot-check every date against its source document; transposed dates are the most common error
- [ ] Confirm each cited Bates number exists and matches the document described
- [ ] Check that no row describes an event absent from the pasted documents
- [ ] Confirm rows flagged CONFLICT reflect a real discrepancy, not two descriptions of the same event
- [ ] Read the "Possible significance" notes as suggestions, not analysis you adopt without thought
- [ ] Check the gaps list against your own knowledge of the production; the AI sees only what you pasted

## Customization notes

Add columns the matter needs — a Damages column for commercial disputes, a Treatment column for injury cases. For document-heavy matters, run the prompt in batches of 20-30 documents and combine results with the chronology-merge prompt in this section. Match the date format to your jurisdiction's filing conventions before the chronology feeds a brief.

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From The Solo Attorney's AI Practice Library — vetslearn.com/libraries/attorney