Claude Project: Build a Court Procedure Reference Assistant

What This Builds

A persistent Claude Project loaded with your court's local rules, form instructions, and procedure documents that acts as an instant procedure reference. Instead of interrupting a colleague or searching through rule books when a procedural question comes up, you ask your Project and get a specific, cited answer in seconds.

After building this, when an unusual filing type comes in and you're not sure of the procedure, you ask your assistant: "What are the steps to process a petition for name change in [county]?" — and get a clear, accurate answer referencing your actual local rules.

Prerequisites

• Claude Pro subscription ({{tool:Claude.plan}} — {{tool:Claude.price}})
• Your court's local rules as a PDF or text document
• Any clerk procedure manual or SOP documents your court has
• 2 hours for initial setup; 15 minutes to update when rules change
• Check your court's IT policy — use on a personal device if your IT policy doesn't permit commercial AI on work devices

Important privacy note: Only upload documents that are already public (local court rules are public records) or internal documents that don't contain personal case data.

The Concept

A Claude Project is a persistent AI conversation space with permanent instructions and uploaded knowledge files. Unlike a regular Claude chat that forgets everything when you close it, a Project remembers your instructions and documents every time you open it.

Think of it as hiring a knowledgeable clerk who has memorized every rule in the local rules book and is always available to answer procedure questions — except this clerk never gets tired, never gives you a frustrated look for asking a basic question, and always cites the specific rule they're referring to.

Build It Step by Step

Part 1: Create the Project

1. Log in to Claude at {{tool:Claude.url}} with your Pro account
2. In the left sidebar, click + New Project
3. Name it: "[Court Name] Procedure Reference" or "Clerk Procedure Assistant"
4. You'll see two setup areas: Project Instructions and Knowledge (file uploads)

Part 2: Write Your Project Instructions

In the Project Instructions field, paste and customize this template:

You are a procedure reference assistant for court clerks at [Court Name and County/State].

YOUR PURPOSE:
- Answer procedural questions about case filings and court processes
- Reference the specific local rule, statute, or procedure document when answering
- Help clerks find the correct form for a given filing type
- Draft procedural explanations for public handouts

WHAT YOU KNOW:
- [Court Name] Local Rules (uploaded)
- [State] Court Rules (uploaded if available)
- Clerk procedure manuals (uploaded)
- Common filing requirements and fees

HOW TO RESPOND:
- Always cite the specific rule or document section when answering
- If a question requires a judgment call (not just a procedural lookup), say so and suggest who to ask
- If you're not certain about a specific local requirement, say "Based on [document], it appears... but verify with a supervisor"
- Use plain language in answers — clerks ask quick questions between interactions with the public
- Format responses clearly with numbered steps when describing a process

NEVER:
- Give legal advice or interpret what a party should do
- Make definitive statements about case outcomes
- Speculate about judicial preferences or behavior

Part 3: Upload Your Knowledge Files

In the Knowledge section, upload the documents you want the assistant to know:

Recommended files:

1. Your court's Local Rules PDF (public document — safe to upload)
2. Any clerk procedure manual or training guide your court uses
3. A document listing filing fees by case type
4. Form instructions for your most common filing types
5. Any state-level court rules that apply to your jurisdiction

How to upload:

1. Click + Add content in the Knowledge section
2. Upload each file
3. Name them clearly: "Local Rules 2024.pdf", "Clerk SOP Manual.docx", "Filing Fee Schedule.pdf"

Part 4: Test the Assistant

Start a new conversation in your Project and test with real questions you encounter:

1. "What are the filing requirements for a petition for dissolution of marriage?"
2. "What is the fee for filing a civil complaint and how is it calculated?"
3. "A filer submitted a motion with no notice of hearing attached — what are our options?"
4. "How many days does a defendant have to respond to a summons in a civil case?"

What you should see: Answers that reference the specific document sections in the knowledge you uploaded. If the answer is too vague ("it depends on the type..."), go back to your instructions and add more specificity about your court type and common case types.

Part 5: Refine the Instructions

After testing with 10–15 questions, you'll likely find areas to improve:

• If answers are too long, add: "Keep answers under 100 words for simple procedure questions"
• If answers aren't citing sources, add: "Always end your answer with: 'Source: [Document Name], Section X'"
• If the assistant is too hesitant, add more examples of the types of questions it should answer confidently

Real Example: An Unusual Filing Type

Setup: Your Project has the local rules and clerk procedure manual uploaded. A filer presents a petition for a protective order in a civil harassment case — a case type you haven't processed in a while.

What you type:

What are the processing steps for a civil harassment restraining order petition? What forms are required, what are the fees (if any), and is there a process for a temporary emergency order?

What you get: A step-by-step answer citing the specific local rule for protective orders, listing the required CLETS form, noting that filing fees are waived for domestic violence-related petitions under Code of Civil Procedure X.XXX, and explaining that TROs can be issued ex parte with a hearing scheduled within X days.

Time saved: 15 minutes of searching through rules and asking a colleague → 30 seconds.

What to Do When It Breaks

• Answer is wrong or outdated → Verify against the actual rules; if the rules changed after your upload date, re-upload the updated document
• Answer is too vague → Add more specific examples to your instructions; tell the Project what level of detail you need
• Assistant says it can't find the information → Check that the relevant file was uploaded and isn't corrupted; try re-uploading
• File upload fails → Large PDF files sometimes fail; try splitting into smaller files or converting to text first

Variations

• Simpler version: Don't upload any files — write detailed instructions with the most common procedures described in the Project Instructions text itself. Less powerful but works on the free tier.
• Extended version: Create a second Project focused on criminal procedure only, and a third for family law — allowing clerks who specialize to have a highly tailored reference tool

What to Do Next

• This week: Build the initial Project with your court's local rules and test it with 20 questions
• This month: Add more documents as you discover gaps; share access with senior clerks who can help identify what's missing
• Advanced: When rules are updated, schedule a reminder to re-upload the updated document so the reference stays current

Advanced guide for court clerk professionals. Always verify AI-generated procedure answers against official court rules, especially for high-stakes filings. Use on personal devices if required by court IT policy.