Lawyers · problem and fix
How to build a case chronology from documents on Mac: steps for lawyers in 2026
To build a case chronology from documents, start with one fact table. Each row holds one dated event, the document it came from, the page and a short quote. This page covers the real costs, the usual causes, fixes you can use today, and where Lazur helps. Lazur can point, explain and dictate. It does not build the table for you.
The short answer
- Build one fact table with fixed columns: date, event, people, document, page, quote and conflict.
- Sort by the event date. The date a file was saved is often wrong for the timeline.
- Log every conflict between documents. Do not quietly pick one version of a date.
- Verify each row against the original file before anyone relies on the chronology.
- Lazur points at columns, explains menus and dictates entries. It does not build the table.
What building case chronologies from document sets costs you
Staff hours at wage rates
Every hour of chronology work is an hour of someone's pay. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists an hourly equivalent of $76.76 for lawyers and $30.24 an hour for paralegals, based on the May 2025 medians. Use those as the cost of staff time, not a billing rate. Your firm's own rates will differ, so use them for your budget.
Rework when a late error surfaces
Errors found late cost the most. A wrong date discovered during deposition prep forces the whole chronology to be rebuilt under pressure. No public study measures how often this happens. Count it in your own matters, and keep a note whenever you fix a row that someone else has already used.
Team burnout
Bloomberg Law's 2025 survey reported average burnout of 42% in 2024, and 51% for mid- and senior-level associates. The survey does not link chronology work to burnout, so do not present it as proof. Long, unstructured review is hard work, and it is worth planning breaks around it.
Gaps you cannot explain in the room
A chronology that skips a key email leaves you exposed. If opposing counsel uses a document you never logged, you have to explain the gap on the spot. Build the table from every document in the set, not only the ones you already like. Log undated documents too, in a separate list.
Why it happens
Documents arrive with no order
Productions and client folders mix emails, PDFs, scanned letters and text messages. Nothing in the pile sorts them by event. A reader who starts at the first file and works down can miss dates that sit inside later files. Build the table from the content of each document, not from the order of the folder.
File dates are not event dates
A file's created or modified date tells you when a copy was made. It does not tell you when the event happened. A scanned letter may be saved years after it was written. Read the date inside the text, log that date, and note the file date only when it helps explain a conflict.
The same event appears many times
An email chain repeats the same meeting in every reply. A draft and a final version can describe one event twice, sometimes with different times. Without a rule for duplicates, the table swells and the story gets confusing. Pick one anchor row, cite all the copies, and log the differences between them.
Finding the right documents is its own job
Before you can date events, you have to find the relevant documents. Grossman and Cormack argue that technology-assisted review can produce better results than exhaustive manual review on the TREC 2009 Legal Track data, measured by recall, precision and F1. Their work is about finding documents, not writing the chronology. It still shows that the search is a separate task, so plan time for it.
Copy and paste drift
People retype dates, shorten names and paste quotes from memory. One row says a meeting was on one day, another row puts it on a different day, and nobody notices. Copy quotes directly from the source file, and keep a single master table so each version of a row does not become a new fact.
Time zones in email headers
Email timestamps depend on the time zone of the sender's device. A same-day event can land on the wrong side of midnight if you read the time in a different zone. Check the sent time shown in the message, and note the zone when the time matters to the story.
First-pass AI sounds sure
AI tools write clean, confident rows. A confident row can still carry a wrong date, an invented name or a quote that is not in the source. Vaquill says the verify step is not optional, and it cites no accuracy data. Treat every AI row as a draft until you open the source.
How to fix it
These work with or without any app.
Use one fact table with fixed columns
Create one table with the same columns for every row: date, event, people, document, page or paragraph, quote, conflict and verified. Word, Pages and Numbers can all hold it on a Mac. Fixed columns make sorting, searching and checking faster for everyone. Do not add columns mid-matter without telling the team.
Name working copies by event date
Rename copies in a working folder so each file name starts with the event date, in the same format every time. In Finder, select a file and press ⌘I to check its dates. Keep the original file name in the document column, so the link back to the source stays clear.
Run a two-pass build
First pass: read each document once and log every dated event, even uncertain ones. Second pass: open each source again and confirm the date, names and quote. Splitting the work this way stops you from polishing rows you have not checked. It also gives you a clean moment to log conflicts.
Keep a conflict log
Create a second tab or sheet called Conflicts. Each row names two documents, the two versions of the date or fact, and the version the chronology uses for now. Do not choose silently. A written conflict is easy to resolve later, while a hidden one can surprise you at a hearing.
Quote the source, do not paraphrase
Copy exact words from the source into the quote column, and put any summary in the event column. Use Find with ⌘F in Word to confirm the quote appears in the document. If the quote does not match word for word, fix it before you mark the row verified.
Save web sources as PDFs
For a public web page, press ⌘P in Chrome, then choose PDF > Save as PDF. Store the PDF in the matter folder and cite it in the document column. A web page can change or disappear, and the saved copy will not.
Treat AI output as a draft
If your firm allows an AI tool, ask it for candidate rows with the page or paragraph it used. Then open every source and check each row yourself. Mark rows the tool proposed in their own column, so a reader can tell which ones a person has verified.
Check the rules before any upload
Before any client document goes into an AI tool, read your firm's policy on client data. Ask a supervising lawyer or IT if the policy is unclear. This page cannot tell you what your firm allows, and your employer's rules come first.
What a case chronology is and what it is for
A case chronology is a dated list of events in a matter. Every entry points back to a source document. Lawyers use it to prepare witnesses, draft statements of fact, test a client's account and spot gaps in the record. In many firms, a paralegal builds the first version. The chronology only works if a colleague can open any row and find the sentence behind it.
Think of the chronology as a table with a source attached to every line. A row that says a demand letter went out is only as good as the letter it cites. If the letter is missing, the row is a guess. That gap separates a timeline you can defend from a list you wrote from memory.
What building one costs you in time and money
No study I could find measures how many hours a chronology takes, how often one contains an error, or how those errors change a case. Budget from your own timing. The part you can measure is the hourly cost of the people doing the work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the May 2025 median pay for lawyers at an hourly equivalent of $76.76. For paralegals and legal assistants, the figure is $30.24 an hour. Those are national wage figures, not billing rates. Treat them as the cost of staff time.
42%
Average burnout reported by more than 1,000 legal professionals in 2024
Bloomberg Law: Attorney Workload Survey Insights (company news)51%
Burnout reported by mid- and senior-level associates in 2024
Bloomberg Law: Attorney Workload Survey Insights (company news)$76.76
Hourly equivalent of the May 2025 median pay for lawyers
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers$30.24
Hourly median pay for paralegals and legal assistants, May 2025
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Paralegals and Legal AssistantsTime is not the only cost. Chronology work is detailed, and it is easy to push back until a deadline forces it. Bloomberg Law's 2025 Attorney Workload and Hours Survey reported average burnout of 42% in 2024, rising to 51% for mid- and senior-level associates. The survey page says full results sit behind a download form, so weekly and billable hours are not visible there.
| Lawyers | 76.8 $ per hour |
|---|---|
| Paralegals and legal assistants | 30.2 $ per hour |
National medians. The paralegal figure comes from the BLS paralegals page. These are not billing rates. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers
The chart shows the gap between the two roles. If a paralegal does the first pass and a lawyer checks it, the mix matters. Moving an hour of first-pass reading to a paralegal costs less in wages. That saving holds only if someone still checks the output. Skipping the check saves money on paper and costs more later.
Where a chronology breaks down, and why
Most broken chronologies fail in the same few places. The documents arrive out of order, the dates come from the wrong field, the same event appears in several versions, or a row has no source. Each one is easy to miss on a busy day. Each one turns a useful table into a list you cannot defend.
The first trap is the file date. A scanned letter can be saved long after it was written. Finder shows a created and a modified date for each file, and neither one is the date of the event. Open the document, read the date in the text and log that date. If the text has no date, mark the row undated and leave the date blank.
The second trap is duplicates. An email chain repeats the same meeting in every reply. A draft and a final version can describe one event with different times. Pick one anchor row, cite every copy, and log the differences. If two documents disagree on a fact, see how to compare two Word documents on a Mac to find the change.
How to build the fact table, step by step
- Gather every document into one matter folder, then copy the set into a working folder. Keep the originals untouched.
- Read each document once and log every dated event in a single table, even when you are unsure.
- Fill in people, document name, page or paragraph, and a short quote for each row.
- Sort the table by event date. Mark any row that conflicts with another row.
- Check each row against its original file. Mark it verified only after you find the words in the source.
This follows the five-step method that CaseTime describes on its blog. Gather the filings and correspondence. Identify the key events. Build a dated list with a date, a description and a significance note for each. Cite the document and page for every event. Then review each citation against the original.
A worked example of one fact table row
Use the same columns for every row, in the same order. A colleague can then scan the sheet fast. You can sort or search without rewriting anything. The table below works for most matters.
| Column | What to enter | Common mistake |
|---|---|---|
| Date | The date the event happened, in one format such as YYYY-MM-DD | Typing the date the file was saved |
| Event | One plain sentence with a clear verb | A summary of what you think it means |
| People | Names as written, with role in brackets | Two spellings of one person in different rows |
| Document | File name and any control or Bates number | A folder name with no file name |
| Page or paragraph | Where the sentence appears | Leaving it blank because the file is short |
| Quote and conflict | The exact words, plus the other version of any conflicting date | A paraphrase in quotation marks, or a conflict noticed but not logged |
A finished row reads like a short sentence with a source. The date comes from the body of the document. The event is one plain sentence, such as a tenant reporting a leak to a landlord. The people column names both parties as written. The document column holds the file name. The page column says where the sentence sits. The quote column holds the exact words. Any conflict goes in its own column or tab.
Date handling: event dates, time zones and file dates
Email adds its own trap. An email header records the time in the sender's time zone. Mail or Outlook then shows that time in your Mac's time zone, so the same message can look like a different day. Check the sent time shown in the message before you record a same-day event. Write the zone in the event note when the time matters to the story.
On your Mac, select a file in Finder and press ⌘I to open Get Info. Compare the created and modified dates with what the document says. Use those dates as a clue only, never as the event date. If you sort by date in Finder, go to View > Sort By and check which date you are sorting by.
- Sorting by the date a file was saved, not the date of the event.
- Logging a conflict in one row and forgetting the other version.
- Paraphrasing a passage and then putting it in quotation marks.
- Skipping the verify pass because the first pass looked clean.
- Keeping two copies of the table, so the old one gets shared by mistake.
Using AI for a first pass, and where it stops
AI can help with the first pass. Vaquill, an AI vendor, describes a workflow where AI proposes dated events, each with a source link, and a person checks them. Vaquill's post says the verify step is not optional. It cites no measured accuracy or time savings, so treat its claims as marketing until you test them on your own documents.
If your firm allows an AI tool, use it to propose rows, not to decide what happened. Every proposed row needs a source you open yourself. A tool that gives a date without a page or paragraph is not giving you a chronology row. Mark the proposed rows in a separate column so reviewers can see which ones a person has checked.
Timeline software for Mac and what the vendors say
Dedicated tools exist. Aeon Timeline's legal page says you can import facts from a CSV or spreadsheet file, link events to documents and witnesses, and compare accounts. Its platforms page lists a Mac app that needs macOS 10.13 or later. The pages I read show no prices, so check their pricing page before you budget.
CaseFleet runs in a browser. Its comparison page, which is vendor marketing, lists Mac among supported browser platforms. It also states pricing from $30 per user per month, with a 14-day free trial. The same page says CaseMap Cloud was rebranded CaseMap+ AI in March 2025, and lists no public pricing. I could not confirm Mac support for classic CaseMap or TimeMap. A competitor calls them Windows-only, but I did not verify that, so ask the vendor.
| Tool | Mac support | Pricing |
|---|---|---|
| Aeon Timeline | Mac app, needs macOS 10.13 or later | No prices on the pages read. Check their pricing page. |
| CaseFleet | Browser-based, Mac listed among supported browsers (vendor claim) | From $30 per user per month, 14-day free trial (vendor comparison page) |
| CaseMap+ AI | Not confirmed in the pages read | No public pricing on the vendor comparison page |
| Classic CaseMap and TimeMap | Not confirmed. A competitor calls them Windows-only | Not checked. Ask the vendor. |
You do not need a paid tool to start. Word tables, Pages tables and Apple's Numbers app can hold the same columns. Apple's Numbers support page says Numbers works on Mac, iPad and iPhone, with formulas that include hundreds of built-in functions. For Word, see Word for lawyers on Mac. Sort on the date column, and keep one master file.
How to verify every row before anyone relies on it
The verify pass is where a chronology earns trust. Open the original file, find the words in the quote column and check the date, the names and the wording. In Word, press ⌘F and search for a few words from the quote to jump to them. In Chrome, open the source page and press ⌘F there too. Mark the row verified only after you see the words yourself.
Keep a verified column with your initials and the date you checked. A second person reading the same row with fresh eyes tends to catch different mistakes. Have that person check a sample of verified rows before the chronology goes to a supervising lawyer.
Some sources live on the web, such as a public docket or a company's press release. Save a copy when you first cite it. In Chrome, press ⌘P, then choose PDF > Save as PDF. Store the PDF in the matter folder. A web page can change or disappear, and the saved copy will not. For more on Chrome, see Chrome for lawyers on Mac.
Keeping the chronology current as documents arrive
A chronology is never finished. New productions arrive, and a clean table gets messy fast. Keep one master file with a version date in its name. Add new rows at the bottom, then re-sort by event date. Recheck the new rows and any row they touch, not the whole table.
Where Lazur fits, and where it does not
Lazur is a voice assistant for the Mac. Hold ⌥ ⌘ and ask about anything on screen, and Lazur answers out loud. Ask where a control sits, and Lazur draws a circle and a label around it. Ask how to do something, and Lazur guides you one click at a time, waiting for each click. Hold fn to dictate clean text at the cursor in any app.
Lazur does not click buttons, edit files or operate other apps for you. It does not scan your case folder or fill in rows on its own. Reading each source and deciding what it proves stays with you. Lazur can help you find the right column, explain a menu, dictate an entry and draft a line for you to check.
On privacy, Lazur listens and looks at the screen only while you hold the shortcut. Audio and the screenshot go to AI providers to answer you, and they are not stored. Content is never used to train AI models. Your firm's rules still decide whether client material should be on screen while you ask a question.
Faster with Lazur
Where Lazur helps with building case chronologies from document sets
Hold ⌥ ⌘ and say what you want. Lazur sees your Word window. Lazur draws a circle and a label around the button or menu you need.
- 1
Hold ⌥⌘ and talk
- 2
Lazur draws a circle and a label around the button or menu you need.
- 3
You stay in Word. Nothing to copy into a chat window.
More things to say in Word
- “Where is the Source column in this table?”
- “What does this menu item do?”
- “Walk me through sorting this table by event date.”
- “Hold fn and dictate a short event description.”
- “Draft a neutral one-line event description from these notes.”
- “Remind me to check the Conflicts tab tomorrow morning.”
Free for 3 days, then $18/month. Download for Mac
You say“Where is the Conflict column in this table?”
Lazur · points at itLazur circles the Conflict column and labels it, so you log a disagreement between two documents in the right place.
What lawyers say to Lazur for this
Each one is a single hold of ⌥ ⌘.
“Where is the Source column in this table?”
Lazur circles the column and labels it, so you find the right place without hunting across the page.
Points at it
“What does this menu item do?”
Lazur answers out loud, so you learn what a menu item does before you choose it.
Explains what's on screen
“Walk me through sorting this table by event date.”
Lazur guides you one click at a time and waits for each click, so you stay in control of the file.
Walks you through it
“Hold fn and dictate a short event description.”
Dictation puts clean text at the cursor in any app, so you can log a row while you still have the source open.
Types what you say
“Draft a neutral one-line event description from these notes.”
Lazur drafts and types text. You check each word against the source before you keep it.
Drafts it
“Remind me to check the Conflicts tab tomorrow morning.”
Lazur adds the task to Apple Reminders by voice, so the verify pass does not slip.
Handles the small stuff
A plan you can start this week
- Day 1
Collect and copy
Gather every document into one matter folder, then copy the set into a working folder. Keep the originals untouched. Create the fact table with its fixed columns, and save it with a clear name and a version date.
- Day 2
First pass
Read each document once. Log every dated event in the table, including uncertain ones. Put undated documents in a separate list instead of guessing a date.
- Day 3
Second pass and verify
Open each source again. Confirm the date, the names and the exact quote, using Find with ⌘F where it helps. Mark a row verified only when you have seen the words in the original file.
- Day 4
Conflicts and review
Open the Conflicts tab and decide, in writing, what the team will use for each conflict. Ask a second person to check a sample of verified rows. Note any row that still lacks a source.
- Morning
Daily update
Each morning, add new productions to the bottom of the table. Re-sort by event date, then check only the new rows and any rows they touch. Save a dated version before you close the file.
Questions people ask
How long does it take to build a case chronology from documents?
No public study I could find measures this. Your own timing is the most reliable figure you have. Time your first two matters from start to finish, including the verify pass. Then turn those hours into a cost using staff wage figures, not billing rates.
Which app should I use on a Mac, Word, Pages or Numbers?
Use the one your firm already shares, so colleagues can open the file. Word has tables and Find with ⌘F, which helps with quote checks. Pages can hold a table too. Numbers suits sorting and formulas, and Apple's Numbers page lists hundreds of built-in functions.
Does Lazur read my documents and fill in the table?
No. Lazur does not click buttons, edit files or fill in rows for you. It can point at a column, explain a menu, dictate text at the cursor and draft wording that you then check. Reading and verifying each source stays with you.
Is it safe to put client documents into an AI tool?
This page cannot answer that for your firm. Check your firm's policy and the rules that bind your work before you upload anything. Your employer's rules on client data come first.
What is the difference between a chronology and a timeline?
In practice, a chronology usually means a cited table of dated events. A timeline often means a visual graphic. Some people use the words loosely. Ask the supervising lawyer which format they want before you start.
What do I do with an undated document?
Keep it out of the dated rows. Put it in a separate list with the file name, a short description and the word undated. Do not assign a date from the file's saved date. If the document matters, raise it with the team.
Do I need special software for this?
No. A table in Word, Pages or Numbers can hold the same columns. Dedicated tools such as Aeon Timeline and CaseFleet exist. Check their pricing pages before you decide, because the pages I read did not give clear prices.
Sources
- Bloomberg Law: Attorney Workload Survey Insights (company news) · Bloomberg Law · checked 2026-11-07
- Bloomberg Law: 2025 Attorney Workload and Hours Survey · Bloomberg Law · checked 2026-11-07
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Lawyers · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked 2026-11-07
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Paralegals and Legal Assistants · U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked 2026-11-07
- CaseTime: Building a Case Timeline with Source Citations · CaseTime (VisitProof LLC) · checked 2026-11-07
- Vaquill: How to Build a Litigation Chronology From Documents With AI · Vaquill · checked 2026-11-07
- Maura Grossman: Technology-Assisted Review in E-Discovery Can Be More Effective and More Efficient (JOLT 2011) · Maura R. Grossman · checked 2026-11-07
- Aeon Timeline: Legal Case Management · Aeon Timeline · checked 2026-11-07
- Aeon Timeline: Platforms · Aeon Timeline · checked 2026-11-07
- CaseFleet: CaseFleet vs CaseMap (vendor comparison) · CaseFleet · checked 2026-11-07
- Apple Support: Numbers · Apple · checked 2026-11-07
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