The Search tab provides access to a collection of tools designed to help you in performing docket calculations using DCO. From the Search you can:

• ‍Trigger Search–obtain help in locating the correct Trigger for a rules calculation by performing a keyword search of Triggers, Events and court rules in a particular Jurisdiction.
• ‍View Jurisdiction Holidays–view the official holidays used by DCO for date calculations using the procedural rules of a particular Jurisdiction.
• ‍Service Type Offsets–view the recognized types of service of process and the number of days that are added for each type when calculating deadlines under the procedural rules of a particular Jurisdiction.

Trigger Search

Purpose of Trigger Search

A keyword search in Trigger Search provides you a list of relevant Triggers, the provisions of the applicable procedural rules and the method used by DocketCalendar to calculate the deadlines in question.

Trigger Search is particularly helpful in two situations you will encounter frequently:

• Locate the Trigger for a Case Event. Where a case event has occurred–for example, the receipt of the summons and complaint–and you are not certain whether a Trigger is involved and the exact terminology used to describe it in the list of Triggers on the Use Rules screen in DocketCalendar. In this case, you can use the Trigger Research tool to search for the keywords–in this example “summons” or “complaint” –in the Jurisdiction’s list of Triggers or its procedural rules to disclose all relevant Triggers.
• Locate the Trigger Applicable to a Deadline You Wish to Calculate. Where you know the deadline you want to calculate but you don’t know what Triggers it relates to, you can search the Jurisdiction’s list of “events” to determine the Trigger used to calculate the deadline in question.

How to Search for a Trigger Using Trigger Research

To search for a Trigger:  

Open the DocketCalendar Add-In and click on the Search tab at the top of the screen.

The Search Tools screen will be displayed, opened to the Trigger Search tab.

To perform a search:

• Select the Jurisdiction of the case in question from the dropdown list.
• Enter a keyword or phrase.

Use as few words as possible, or the root of words, remembering that DCO will be looking for an exact match. For instance, if you type “appeal”, you will find “appealable”, but if you type “appealable”, you will not find “appeal”.

Choose whether you want to search any Triggers, Events or Rules within the Jurisdiction by clicking on the applicable checkboxes.

Trigger: This option will search for all Triggers in the Jurisdiction that include the keywords.

Event: This option will search through all events–deadlines and court events–in the Jurisdiction that include the keywords and find the Triggers used to calculate them.‍

Rules: This option will search for the keywords in all excerpts of procedural rules in the Jurisdiction that relate to events that are calculated using Triggers

Click the Find button.

DCO will search through the information you have selected and display a list of Triggers.

View Jurisdiction’s Holidays

What holidays are recognized for the purpose of rules calculations varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and when certain holidays are observed may vary from year to year, if they fall on a weekend. DocketCalendar automatically takes these holidays into account when calculating a deadline, but there will be times when you might want to view the actual list of holidays used by DocketCalendar and when they are observed, particularly if you practice before multiple courts. The Holiday tool allows you to do this.

‍To view a list of Holidays for  a Jurisdiction in your subscription:

Open the DCO Add-In, click on the Search tab at the top of the screen and then click on the Holidays.

Choose the Jurisdiction whose holidays you wish to view from the Jurisdiction dropdown box.

Specify a date range by inserting a Start Date and End Date in the date fields, or accept the default date range of one year from the beginning of the current date.

Click the Find button.

DocketCalendar will display a list of the holidays for the Jurisdiction and the dates on which they fall or are observed.

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Service Type Offsets

The procedural rules for most courts add a specified number of days to respond to deadlines based upon service of pleadings and other case documents, utilizing certain methods of service, on the opposing party. DocketCalendar refers to this additional period of time, measured in days, as the “offset”. The offset takes into account that there may be a delay in receiving court papers served using certain methods of service, justifying adding more time to a deadline to respond. DCO recognizes six methods of service:

• Personal or In hand–Usually no offset
• Electronic–Usually no offset
• By Fax–Usually no offset
• Service by Mail on a Party Outside the State–usually an offset.
• Express or Overnight–Usually an offset
• Regular Mail–Usually an offset

DocketCalendar automatically takes these offsets into consideration when you perform docket calculations. The Service Types tool accessible from the Service Types tab of the Search screen, allows you view the offsets prescribed in a particular Jurisdiction.

‍To view a list of Service Type Offsets:

1. Open the DocketCalendar  Add-In, click on the Search tab and then click on the Service Types tab.
2. Choose the Jurisdiction whose Service Type offsets you wish to view from the Jurisdiction dropdown box.

Only the Jurisdictions in your DocketCalendar  subscription will appear in the list.

3. Click the Find button.

DocketCalendar will display a list of the Service Types for the Jurisdiction and the number of days, if any, of the applicable offsets.