Patent ID: 8635207

Claim:
A data processing system for managing discovery in connection with a legal proceeding, comprising: at least one data processor coupled in a digital data communication network to a plurality of terminal devices, the data processor having access to a data memory configured to maintain a database and being programmed to execute instructions; wherein the database is configured to maintain information for determining discovery specifications for at least two adverse parties to said legal proceeding, wherein the specifications for the at least two adverse parties at least partly correspond and can be compared; wherein the data processor is programmed upon initiation by an administrator to execute a process for questioning at least one of managers, employees and data custodians of at least one of the adverse parties to the legal proceeding, and to populate the database from responses of the managers, employees and data custodians, with information defining the party and identifying stores of documents, data and the things that are candidates for potential evidence of the party; wherein the data processor is further programmed for one of analyzing and processing the potential evidence according to a specification, and thereby assessing at least one of a volume of evidence responsive to at least one query, a cost of responding to the query in at least one output format, and a time requirement according to said specification; wherein the administrator is enabled by the programming of the data processor to test alternative said specifications for the adverse parties and to obtain corresponding assessments.