Docket
Court appearances, hearing schedules, and the procedural timeline of every litigated matter.
Overview
The Docket module is the litigation calendar of your practice. Where the Calendar handles all types of events (client meetings, internal calls, personal reminders) and Deadlines handles legally mandatory dates, the Docket is specifically concerned with the procedural timeline of matters before courts, tribunals, and arbitral bodies. It tracks hearing dates, return dates, mention dates, interlocutory applications, pre-trial conferences, and the trial itself — and creates a structured, searchable record of everything that has happened and is scheduled to happen before each judicial body.
For litigators, the Docket provides the court-focused view they need without the noise of non-litigation items. For firm administrators, it gives a bird's-eye view of all matters before the courts on any given day or week, supporting rostering decisions and conflict avoidance.
Docket Entry Types
Hearing
A substantive hearing on the merits. Includes motions hearings, interlocutory applications, and contested hearings before a judge or magistrate.
Mention / Directions Hearing
An administrative court date to give directions, set timetables, or manage the progress of proceedings. Usually short (5–15 minutes).
Pre-Trial Conference
A conference before trial to narrow issues, confirm witnesses, and finalise the trial timetable. Attendance by the responsible attorney is typically required.
Trial
The full trial or final hearing. Record the trial start date, expected duration, and the judge or judicial officer allocated.
Callover / Status Conference
A court-managed check-in on case readiness, often conducted in bulk by the registry without individual argument.
Filing Date
A date by which documents must be filed with the court — a pleading, evidence affidavit, expert report, or submissions. Distinct from a hearing but tracked in the docket as a procedural event.
Judgment / Decision Date
The date set for the delivery of judgment or a reserved decision. Often set at the conclusion of a hearing. Track these even though they require no action — decisions change matters' trajectories.
Mediation / ADR
Court-ordered or voluntary mediation, conciliation, or arbitration sessions. Track the venue, mediator, and outcome.
Adding a Docket Entry
Open the Docket module or a matter
Go to Docket in the sidebar for a firm-wide view, or open a specific matter and click the Docket tab. Click + New Docket Entry.
Select entry type
Choose the type: Hearing, Mention, Pre-Trial Conference, Trial, Filing Date, etc. The type determines the icon and how the entry is categorised in the docket report.
Enter the court and case details
Specify the court or tribunal (e.g., "Supreme Court of NSW — Equity Division"), the file number assigned by the court, the case name, and the judge if known.
Set date and time
Enter the listing date and time, and the expected duration. Court appearances that run longer than expected can have their end time updated after the event.
Assign the appearing attorney
Select which attorney is appearing. If a barrister is briefed, note their name in the description or brief instructions field.
Add preparation requirements
Add a description of what must be prepared for this appearance: which documents to bring, what submissions to have ready, any pre-reading the judge has requested. This helps whoever is appearing and serves as a preparation checklist.
Record the outcome
After the appearance, return to the docket entry and click Record Outcome. Enter what was ordered, any new dates set, and any costs ordered. This record is essential for the matter file and future preparation.
The Firm Docket View
The top-level Docket view (accessible from the sidebar) shows all upcoming court appearances across all matters for the entire firm. You can filter by attorney, court, date range, and entry type. This is the view used at the start of each week to brief the team on who is in court where, and what preparation is needed.
The Daily Court List view shows only today's appearances, sorted by time. It can be exported to PDF for printing or emailed to the team as a morning briefing.
Docket and Deadlines Integration
Many docket entries trigger associated deadlines. For example, when you record a mention date that sets a timetable — "Plaintiff to file evidence by 30 April 2026, Defendant to respond by 14 May 2026" — you can create Deadline entries directly from the docket entry screen. Click + Create Deadline from this Docket Entry, select the type (Filing Deadline), enter the date, and FRITH creates and links the deadline automatically. This ensures the procedural calendar and the deadline tracker stay in sync.
Docket discipline for litigation teams
- • Update the docket within 24 hours of every court appearance. Outcome notes taken after the event from memory are less accurate and may miss costs orders or procedural requirements.
- • When a new mention sets a timetable, create all the resulting deadlines from the docket entry immediately — do not defer until "later".
- • Include the judge's name in every hearing entry. Different judicial officers have different expectations and styles — this is valuable preparation context for anyone standing in.
- • Use the firm-wide Daily Docket view as the basis for your morning team meeting — it immediately surfaces who is in court, what they need, and whether any coverage gaps exist.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the Docket different from the Calendar?
The Calendar is for all events — meetings, calls, court dates, personal appointments. The Docket is specifically for court and tribunal proceedings and provides richer fields for court-specific information: case number, court, judge, outcome, costs orders. Court dates appear in both, but the Docket gives the full procedural picture a litigator needs.
Can I set a reminder for an upcoming court appearance?
Yes. When creating a docket entry, set one or more reminders using the same mechanism as calendar events. Recommended for all hearings: 7 days before (to ensure preparation is on track), 24 hours before (logistics check), and 2 hours before (final readiness).
What if a hearing is adjourned and a new date is set?
Do not delete the original entry. Click Edit on the existing docket entry, change the status to "Adjourned", record the reason, and create a new docket entry for the new date. This preserves the history of adjournments, which can be relevant to costs applications and case management.
Can I export the docket to share with a briefed barrister?
Yes. From the matter's Docket tab, click Export → Docket Summary PDF. This generates a formatted PDF with all docket entries for the matter, including outcomes recorded to date. This is a useful document for briefing counsel or reporting to clients on case progress.