TurboTax for legal filings.
Filing court documents is confusing, expensive, and error-prone. Self-represented litigants face dozens of jurisdiction-specific forms, each with different requirements, formatting rules, and filing procedures. One mistake can mean a rejected filing, a missed deadline, or a lost case.
Attorneys spend hours on document preparation that could be automated. Court clerks spend hours rejecting improperly formatted filings that could have been caught earlier.
A guided, step-by-step document automation engine. Think TurboTax, but for legal filings. Answer simple questions in plain language. The engine selects the right forms for your jurisdiction, auto-fills from case data, validates for completeness, and generates filing-ready PDF and DOCX documents.
No legal expertise required to use it. No expensive software required to run it.
graph LR
UI[User Interview] --> FE[Form Engine]
FE --> TS[Template Selector]
TS --> DG[Document Generator]
DG --> FRP[Filing Ready Package]
subgraph User Interview
UI
direction TB
Q1[Step-by-Step Questions]
end
subgraph Form Engine
AF[Auto-fill]
VL[Validation]
end
subgraph Template Selector
JR[Jurisdiction Router]
end
subgraph Document Generator
PDF[PDF Output]
DOCX[DOCX Output]
end
subgraph Filing Ready Package
DOC[Documents]
CL[Filing Checklist]
end
Q1 --> AF
AF --> VL
VL --> JR
JR --> PDF
JR --> DOCX
PDF --> DOC
DOCX --> DOC
DOC --> CL
| Audience | How This Helps |
|---|---|
| Self-represented litigants | File court documents without an attorney |
| Legal aid attorneys | Automate repetitive document preparation |
| Court clerks | Receive properly formatted, complete filings |
| Paralegal staff | Accelerate document workflows |
- Guided interview workflows — plain-language questions, step by step
- Smart auto-fill from case data and prior filings
- 50-state jurisdiction template library
- PDF and DOCX generation with court-compliant formatting
- Filing checklist generator — what to file, where, and when
- Form validation with clear error messages
- Save and resume incomplete interviews
- Template contribution system for community-maintained forms
| Layer | Technology |
|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript |
| Runtime | Node.js |
| pdf-lib / Puppeteer | |
| DOCX | docx.js |
| Testing | Vitest |
| Linting | ESLint + Prettier |
git clone https://github.com/dougdevitre/court-doc-engine.git
cd court-doc-engine
npm install
npm run devimport { InterviewEngine } from './src/interview/engine';
const engine = new InterviewEngine();
// Start a guided interview for a Missouri eviction petition
const session = await engine.startInterview('eviction-petition', { jurisdiction: 'MO' });
// Answer questions step by step
await session.answer('plaintiff_name', 'Jane Smith');
await session.answer('defendant_name', 'John Doe');
await session.answer('property_address', '123 Main St, Springfield, MO 65801');
await session.answer('grounds', 'nonpayment');
await session.answer('amount_owed', 2400);
// Generate filing-ready documents
const filingPackage = await session.generate({ formats: ['pdf', 'docx'] });
console.log(`Generated ${filingPackage.documents.length} document(s)`);
console.log(`Filing checklist: ${filingPackage.checklist.length} steps`);See examples/generate-petition.ts for a complete working example.
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| Guided interview engine with branching logic | In Progress |
| Missouri template library (eviction, small claims) | In Progress |
| PDF generation with court-compliant formatting | Planned |
| DOCX generation via docx.js | Planned |
| Save and resume incomplete interviews | Planned |
| Community template contribution system | Planned |
This repository is part of the Justice OS open-source ecosystem — 32 interconnected projects building the infrastructure for accessible justice technology.
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-os | Core modular platform — the foundation |
| justice-api-gateway | Interoperability layer for courts |
| legal-identity-layer | Universal legal identity and auth |
| case-continuity-engine | Never lose case history across systems |
| offline-justice-sync | Works without internet — local-first sync |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-navigator | Google Maps for legal problems |
| mobile-court-access | Mobile-first court access kit |
| cognitive-load-ui | Design system for stressed users |
| multilingual-justice | Real-time legal translation |
| voice-legal-interface | Justice without reading or typing |
| legal-plain-language | Turn legalese into human language |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| vetted-legal-ai | RAG engine with citation validation |
| justice-knowledge-graph | Open data layer for laws and procedures |
| legal-ai-guardrails | AI safety SDK for justice use |
| emotional-intelligence-ai | Reduce conflict, improve outcomes |
| ai-reasoning-engine | Show your work for AI decisions |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| evidence-vault | Privacy-first secure evidence storage |
| court-notification-engine | Smart deadline and hearing alerts |
| justice-analytics | Bias detection and disparity dashboards |
| evidence-timeline | Evidence timeline builder |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| court-doc-engine | TurboTax for legal filings |
| justice-workflow-engine | Zapier for legal processes |
| pro-se-toolkit | Self-represented litigant tools |
| justice-score-engine | Access-to-justice measurement |
| justice-app-generator | No-code builder for justice tools |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| justice-persona-simulator | Test products against real human realities |
| justice-experiment-lab | A/B testing for justice outcomes |
| Repository | Description |
|---|---|
| digital-literacy-sim | Digital literacy simulator |
| legal-resource-discovery | Find the right help instantly |
| court-simulation-sandbox | Practice before the real thing |
| justice-components | Reusable component library |
| justice-dev-starter-kit | Ultimate boilerplate for justice tech builders |
Built with purpose. Open by design. Justice for all.
This project is provided for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice, legal representation, or an attorney-client relationship. No warranty is made regarding accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular legal matter. Always consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction before making legal decisions. Use of this software does not create any professional-client relationship.
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