Abstract:
A system and method for generating divorce proceedings paperwork. The system includes a server computer system and a user computer system coupled to a network. The server computer system includes a memory that stores location-based divorce proceeding rules, and a processor with a graphical user interface component. The user computer system includes a user interface component coupled to a processing component. The user interface component presents the graphical user interfaces generated by the graphical user interface component and receives responses to the presented graphical user interfaces. The responses include a selection for the location for the divorce proceedings. The received responses are sent to the server computer system. The graphical user interface component generates graphical user interfaces based on at least one of the location selection or other received responses. The processor automatically generates completed divorce documents based on the received responses.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]    This application claims priority from a Provisional Application filed Feb. 15, 2002, Serial No. 60/357,556, Attorney Reference No. EMIT-1-1001. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to document generating systems and methods, and, more specifically, to network-based document generating systems over a public data network.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    In many legal proceedings the major costs are associated with the time and expertise required to generate the required paperwork. The time and expertise are often required even when the legal proceeding itself is essentially a formality. For example, in an uncontested divorce proceeding, there are a number of documents that must be prepared and filed. The act of completing the proper documents is a tedious one that requires some experience in reading and understanding their content and format. Because the paperwork can be confusing and time consuming, those filing for divorce often turn to attorneys to assist them.  
           [0004]    Presently there are a number of sources of blank forms and document templates that are useful for legal proceedings such as divorces. While these tools can be helpful in some instances, even completing the blank forms can be daunting in many cases. Therefore, there exists a need to aid a layperson in the process of filling out legal paperwork, especially divorce documents.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention comprises a system and method for automatically generating divorce proceedings paperwork. The system includes a server computer system and a user computer system coupled to a network. The server computer system includes a memory that stores location-based divorce proceeding rules, a processor, and a graphical user interface component. The user computer system includes a user interface component coupled to a processing component. The user interface component presents the graphical user interfaces generated by the graphical user interface component and receives responses to the presented graphical user interfaces. The responses include a selection for the location of the divorce proceedings. The received responses are sent to the server computer system. The graphical user interface component generates graphical user interfaces based on at least one of the location selection or other received responses. The processor automatically generates completed divorce documents based on the received responses.  
           [0006]    In accordance with further aspects of the invention, the processor automatically calculates child support payments based on the responses.  
           [0007]    In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the presented graphical user interfaces comprise one or more questions, brief explanations of the questions, and a hyperlink to the legal statute or other authority related to the questions.  
           [0008]    In accordance with still further aspects of the invention, the processor automatically generates completed divorce documents based on the information provided by the user and the appropriate geographical location of the court or other governing body.  
           [0009]    In accordance with yet other aspects of the invention, spousal and child support are also automatically generated.  
           [0010]    In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, the user computer system is configured to retrieve the generated documents over the network.  
           [0011]    In accordance with additional aspects of the invention, the processor generates instructions for reviewing and filing the generated documents.  
           [0012]    As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing summary, the invention provides a system and method for reducing the time and cost associated with divorce proceedings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    The preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a system diagram of the present invention;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the present invention; and  
         [0016]    FIGS.  3 - 6 A and  6 B are screen displays of an example network based graphical user interface formed in accordance with the present invention for performing the process shown in FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0017]    As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is an automatic divorce document generating and calculating system  18 . The system  18  includes a plurality of user systems  22  and a server system  20  in communication over a public or private network  30 , such as the Internet.  
         [0018]    The server system  20  generates interactive webpages that guide a user at a user system  22  through a questioning session designed to gather the information necessary to complete the divorce proceeding paperwork. Once all the questions have been answered by a user at a user system  22 , the server system  20  automatically generates the necessary court documents and calculates child support and alimony based upon the answers the user supplied in response to questions included in the interactive webpages. An application program executed by the server system  20  generates the interactive webpages based on previously entered information regarding laws in a particular state, county, or city; child support and alimony payment algorithms for those state, counties, or cities; personal tax and financial information, and case law information.  
         [0019]    The questioning session includes a plurality of questions that are stored in memory at the server system  20 . The questions are stored in a tree-like structure. In the tree-like structure, the questions occupy nodes that are linked to one or more other nodes. Sometimes the link between nodes is based on the answer to the question at one of the nodes. For example, if a question at node N is “Are there any children involved?” and the answer is yes, the questions in a child questionnaire branch of nodes in the tree-like structure are presented in order. The last node in the child questionnaire branch of nodes is in one example linked to the same node that node N is linked to if the answer to the node N question is no.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 2 illustrates a flow diagram of a preferred process performed by the system  18  shown in FIG. 1. First, at block  50 , a user at a user system  22  logs onto the server system  20  over the network  30 . The server system  20  requires a secure password before a user can interact with interactive webpages generated by an application program executed by the server system  20 . Next, at block  52 , the user selects the state where divorce proceedings are to occur. Then, at block  54 , the application program retrieves and displays a question according to a predefined order of questions that is based on information required for the selected state. The question is displayed on interactive webpages, examples of which are shown in FIGS.  3 - 6  and described in more detail below. At block  56 , a user using the user interface at a corresponding user system  22  answers the displayed question. At block  56 , the user&#39;s answer to the displayed question is recorded for possible later use in document generation. At decision block  60 , the process determines whether all the questions have been answered. If it is determined that all the questions have been answered, the server system  20  automatically generates the required divorce documents for the selected state, county, or city based on the recorded responses to the questions and prestored algorithms for performing various calculations, such as child support, child custody or parenting plans, and alimony.  
         [0021]    The prestored algorithms for calculating child support and alimony payments are government sanctioned algorithms or algorithms that are presently being used manually. The prestored algorithms that calculate alimony or child support payments are based upon appropriate statutory and other legal authority, as well as the tax and financial information of both parties of the divorce (for example, it properly accounts for tax related deductions). Because the server system  20  stores the algorithms and the application program, updates and changes to either can be easily performed.  
         [0022]    If it is determined at decision block  60  that not all the questions have been answered, the process determines if the recently recorded response requires that the next question be a specific follow-up question. For example, if the question is “Do you have children?” and the answer to that question is yes, the next question in the session is a specific follow-up question to a divorce proceeding where children are involved. Thus, the follow-up questions may inquire, for example, as to the number of children, their ages, tax exemption claiming, and others. If it is determined at decision block  64  that the response does not require a specific follow-up question, the process proceeds to the next question according to a predefined base question sequence, see block  66 . After block  66 , the process returns to block  56 , allowing the user to respond to the question and the system to record responses to questions. If at decision block  64  there does exist a specific question related to the response, the specific question is displayed to the user, see block  68 . After block  68 , the process returns to block  56 .  
         [0023]    The specific questions asked are designed to gather information required to prepare various documents as required by the applicable court. Thus, for example, the system will ask questions sufficient to obtain information to prepare a typical petition for dissolution marriage that may include the date and location of the marriage, names and ages of children, property owned, debts and liabilities, whether spousal maintenance is required, pregnancy status, and a desired parenting plan having any bases for restrictions as well as residential scheduling, decision making, and other components.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 illustrates a log-in interactive webpage  98  generated by the application program and presented in a window  100  on a display device of the user system  22 . The log-in interactive webpage  98  includes a log-in area  102  that includes a state selection pull-down menu  104  and identification and password log-in area  106 . Using an input device, the user selects the state in which to file for divorce from the pull-down menu  104 . Though the user can independently select a filing location, the system also suggests one or more locations that may be preferred by the user. For example, at the webpage  98  at which the user is to select a filing location, the system presents one or more locations that may be desirable because filing can be accomplished by mail, filing fees are low, or other attributes.  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates a county selection window  120  that includes a county selection pull-down menu  122 , similar to the state pull-down menu  104 . Some or all of the following interaction areas appear in most or all of the interactive webpages generated by the application program: a question area  124 , a law review area  126 , and a website button area  130 . The question area  124  displays each question, preferably one at a time with an explanation paragraph accompanying and associated with the displayed question. The question area  124  includes hyperlink text to a webpage that indicates the status of the present user session. Displayed adjacent to the question area  124  is the law review area  126 . The law review area  126  includes hyperlinks to the specific legal recitations that are associated with the question or questions displayed in the question area  124 . The website button area  130  includes various buttons that allow a user to ask or view common questions about the system and how it works, find out contact information, review policy information of the entity operating the server system  20 , review general information about the website, and to jump to the initial page of the website.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 illustrates a law review window  134  that is retrieved and displayed upon selection of an associated hyperlink text in the law review section  126 . The information displayed in window  34  is a selection of the law that relates to the question presently displayed in the question area  124 . Although the preferred hyperlink is a textual reference to a statute or other legal authority, the hyperlinks may alternatively be graphical.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIGS. 6A and B illustrate a status page that is retrieved and displayed upon selection of the status hyperlink included in the question area  124 . The status window includes a status information area  140  that presents the completion status of various legal documents associated with the present session. After a document has been automatically generated upon question session completion or upon completion of the questions that are required for completing the document, the status area  14  presents hyperlinks that allow a user to download or e-mail a generated legal document. Selection of the download hyperlink allows for direct downloading of the legal document in a document format, such PDF or other formats, to the user system  22 . Selection of the e-mail hyperlink allows for e-mail delivery of the created legal documents to a destination of choice.  
         [0028]    In the particular example of FIG. 6A, the page illustrates the status of all the divorce documents for a user that has not answered enough questions to complete even one of the documents. FIG. 6B, on the other hand, illustrates the status of legal documents as it relates to a user that has completed all the questions presented to the user. The documents that are automatically generated by the present invention include but are not limited to a summons, a petition for dissolution, findings of fact, parenting plan, order of child support, decree of dissolution, confidential information, verification of findings, and a child support schedule.  
         [0029]    Also stored at the server system  20  are document filing or court procedure rules or guidelines for the place they designated for their divorce proceedings. The document filing or court procedure rules or guidelines are viewable or printable at a user system  22  at the end of a session, or upon request. The guidelines provide instructions for the user related to completing and filing the forms after they have been downloaded. For example, the instructions explain who must sign the forms, whether they must be served upon a spouse, where to mail or send them, the appropriate filing fee that must be submitted, whether notarization is required, and when and where the user must appear in court (if applicable). Along with the guidelines, the system provides a checklist of many of the above items for review by the user before filing the papers with the court.  
         [0030]    While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment.