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OUTLOOK

June 8, 2017

Use the Search Function in Outlook More Effectively

Sometimes sorting emails by sender, or searching for a keyword alone doesn’t get you the one email you are looking for.  You still end up having to sort through an entire email chain to find the one that has the document attached or had the comment from the client that came in last Tuesday.  You can use search query syntax terms (e.g., subject, to, received) in the search bar on Outlook to further narrow your search.  For example, if you want to find the email that your client, Susie, sent last week with the draft document, you can enter:      
from:Susie hasattachment:yes received:last week

 This search will return only emails from Susie that came in last week and have an attachment.  Hopefully, this will narrow your results to just a few emails. 

There are other terms you can use to search, such as “subject:”, “cc:”, and “messagesize:”.  Remember that you can use logical operators such as AND, OR, NOT, <, and >.  Also, use double quotes to search for multi-word exact terms such as “Susie Smith.” 

For more information and examples, see https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Learn-to-narrow-your-search-criteria-for-better-searches-in-Outlook-d824d1e9-a255-4c8a-8553-276fb895a8da 

Thanks to Cheryl C. Burton, Managing Member of the Law Office of Cheryl C. Burton, LLC for this tip!

May 25, 2017

Use Conversation Clean Up to Eliminate Redundant Messages

What does Conversation Clean Up Do?

Conversation Clean Up is a function in newer versions of Outlook that is *incredibly* helpful in capturing all the responses to a Thread of conversations, while eliminating emails where responses have previously been included.  Conversation Clean Up evaluates the contents of each message in the Conversation (also known as a Thread). If a message is completely contained within one of the replies, the previous message is deleted. Consider the following example:

Justin sends a message to Melissa and Andrew. Melissa replies to both Justin and Andrew and in her Outlook message body, all of Justin’s original message is included. Now, Andrew sees Melissa’s message and replies to both Justin and Melissa. Andrew’s reply includes all of the previous messages in the Conversation. Conversation Clean Up can delete all of the messages except the last one from Andrew because within that message is a copy of all of the previous messages.   

Conversation Clean Up is most useful on Conversations with many responses back and forth, especially with many recipients, where recipients are posting responses to various emails with previous responses (if that makes sense!)

Check out the link below for specifics on how to use Conversation Clean Up

https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Use-Conversation-Clean-Up-to-eliminate-redundant-messages-4a0aa10b-8342-4f75-b78c-2b8ca23eca8d

February 2, 2017

Print a List of Emails in Outlook (rather than the emails themselves)

Many of us use Outlook as our email client. While most of us know how to print an individual email, what if you want to print a list of emails in your Inbox or in a folder? Chances are if you ever have tried, you ended up with a copy of an individual email instead of the list you wanted. 

Here's how to print a list: 

1. Open Outlook and be sure your Inbox is displayed. You should see a list of your emails.

2. Select the list of emails you wish to print:

    - Click on the first email in the list so it is highlighted

    - Scroll down (or up) to the last email

    - Press the <shift> key and click on the last email

    - All of the emails should now be highlighted

(If you want to select multiple emails that are not in contiguous order, press the <ctrl> key as you click each email with your mouse to highlight those you want to print on the list.)

3. Go to the toolbar on top and select "File" and then "Print" (just as you would if you wanted to print a document).

4. The default is typically "Memo Style".  Change that to "Table Style."  Now click on “Print Options” just above it.  Under “Print range” click on “Only selected rows" and finally click "Print." 

If you want to see a preview of what it will look like before you print, click "Preview" before you click "Print" and you'll see exactly what will print! 

If you have any questions, contact Reba Nance at [email protected]

January 19, 2017

Let Outlook Save You Time When You Type in Phone Numbers for Contacts
In my book, anything that saves time is a good thing.  Outlook has a nifty feature that most people don’t know about.  The next time you have a contact open and you’re adding a phone number, try this.  Simply type all the numbers together such as 3038245320 – i.e., no parentheses around the area code, no space between the area code and the number, no hypen.  When you get out of the field as you normally would by pressing the TAB key or you use your cursor to get to another field, Outlook will magically put in the number with all the correct marks like this:  (303) 824-5320.  Wouldn’t it be great if more applications would do this!

 Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions. 

July 21, 2016

Using Outlook Calendar's Time Zone Feature Today’s tip is on using Outlook Calendar’s Time Zones Feature to make sure you don’t miss a meeting when you’re in a different time zone.

I hadn’t paid much attention to using Time Zones in Outlook Calendar. That is, until I missed an important meeting when I was in California. What happened? I entered the meeting in my calendar when I was sitting in my office in Denver. The time zone automatically defaulted to Mountain time. But when I checked my calendar, Outlook knew I was in Pacific time and it changed the meeting to show the time zone it was entered in, and so I missed my meeting.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

June 22, 2016

How to Move Emails Out of Outlook and Onto Your Hard Drive Using Adobe Acrobat
This week, Reba uses a video tutorial to demonstrate how to use Adobe Acrobat to move emails out of Microsoft Outlook onto your hard drive.

 Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

March 3, 2016

September 10, 2015

Safe Way to Protect Yourself From Suspicious Emails
Opening suspicious emails can be dangerous.  You used to be safe as long as you didn’t click on any file with an .exe extension at the end.  Now, the bad guys are much more sophisticated.  But there are a couple of simple things you can do to help protect yourself. This video will show you how to turn off the Reading Pane in Outlook, print suspicious emails without opening them, and permanently delete emails.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

January 8, 2015

How to Block Phone Calls, Emails, Text Messages, Etc. on an iPhone, Android Device and Outlook
Although it doesn’t happen very often, some of us find we need to block a particular caller from contacting us via phone, text message, Face Time or Outlook.  Fortunately, it’s very easy.  

Here’s how to do it on an iPhone, which covers phone calls, text messages and Face Time –

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-block-calls-on-an-apple-iphone/

Here’s how to do it on an Android device –

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-block-phone-calls-on-your-android-smartphone/

Here’s how to do it in Outlook –

http://www.technipages.com/outlook-block-email 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions. 

APPS

March 29, 2018

Casemaker Mobile App
The Casemaker Mobile app is available in the Apple App Store as well as Google Play. Once you have downloaded the app, you will need to register it. To register log in to the Casemaker website on your computer and click on the Mobile Application link on the left of the Casemaker home page. Fill out the form at that link to register and to receive a reference code. Then open the app on your mobile device and enter the email address you used to register, as well as the reference code you received. Please note the code is case sensitive. Then you are ready to have all the breadth of coverage Casemaker provides, in the palm of your hand!

February 15, 2018

How to Start any Windows App with a Keyboard Shortcut
Few people know that Windows allows users to start their favorite apps using keyboard shortcuts. You can use predefined keyboard shortcuts to launch both desktop apps and apps from the Microsoft Store. Or, you can use your custom keyboard shortcuts, to start any app you want. This can be done using built-in features of Windows, without using third-party apps. If you are curious or you need to run apps using keyboard shortcuts, read on: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/start-windows-apps-keyboard-shortcut

August 10, 2017

Apps That Translate Signs (Or Other Text) in Foreign Languages Using Your Phone’s Camera
There’s a great review of 3 different apps that work using your phone’s camera.  The advantage?  They will analyze foreign text and translate it in real time, and you don’t have to type in the text – which you wouldn’t be able to do anyway with Korean or Russian or Laotian alphabets.  The list of languages is extensive.  The article explains the pros and cons of each, and all of them are free!  So the next time you’re traveling in Nepal, Turkey, Italy, Israel or Mongolia be sure to download one of the apps before you go!  And you could also use them on a menu at a fancy restaurant or to translate instruction manuals!

Whatever the case, check out the top 3 live translation apps. They’re all compatible with both Android and iOS.  And did I mention they’re free?? 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions. 

http://www.guidingtech.com/60504/live-translations-apps-camera/

December 8, 2016

Watch Out For Fake Apps
The holidays are here and as to be expected, the scammers are out in full force. Their latest trick is fake apps.  Starbucks started the first "retail app", and many stores are following suit including scammers.  They’re creating fake apps, attempting to trick you into downloading them to your smartphone or tablet.  They ask you to load your credit card information in these apps. You can guess what happens next.

Things to consider before installing an app: 

1.           Be very judicious in deciding what app to download. Better safe than sorry.
2.           If you *do* decide to download an app, first thing to check is the reviews, apps with few reviews or bad reviews are a big red         flag.
3.           Never click on a link in any email to download a new app. Only go to the website of the retailer to get a link to the legit app in               the AppStore or Google Play.
4.           Give as little information as possible if you decide to use an app.
5.           Be very, very reluctant to link your credit card to any app! 

There is more information about this at the New York Times: 

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/07/technology/more-iphone-fake-retail-apps-before-holidays.html 

Thanks to Mel Reveles, Director IT, Colorado Bar Association for the tip!!

September 15, 2016

Free Casemaker Mobile App 
There is a free mobile app as well, available in both iOS and Android versions.  To download the app, go to the CBA’s website at www.cobar.org and be sure you’re logged on as a member.  Click on Casemaker on the left-hand side of the page.  Once you’re in Casemaker, click on Mobile App on the left-hand side.  You’ll be asked for some identifying information and you’ll receive a code.  Download the app, enter the code, and you’re good to go!  Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

July 7, 2016 

Use WhatsApp for Free Messaging When You Travel
WhatsApp is a cross-platform messaging app which allows you to exchange messages without having to pay for SMS. WhatsApp Messenger is available for iPhone, BlackBerry, Android and Windows — so it works with virtually any phone. Because it uses the same internet data plan you use for email and browsing, there is no cost to message and stay in touch with friends. Both parties must download it. WhatsApp was recommended by several friends, including one who lives in Costa Rica, and I soon found that lots of people who travel outside the U.S. use it regularly. Even if you have an international phone plan, chances are you won’t have unlimited minutes. Almost everyone I came in contact with in Costa Rica used WhatsApp, and it meant I could communicate with them via WiFi without having to call or email.

But you can also use WhatsApp within the U.S. The interface is very intuitive, and you can use it to send unlimited images. You can also record an audio message by simply pressing the microphone.

Click here to check out the FAQs at before you use it in a foreign county to help you avoid data roaming charges while connecting using WiFi. Also be sure to contact your carrier first. The latest version uses end-to-end encryption, which is a huge plus!

March 31, 2016

Check out Flight Tracker for the Latest Fight Updates
Flight Tracker is a great website (and free App) that lets you track upcoming and in-air flights, and receive status alerts via push notification. Check gate assignments, delays and cancellations and use the flight map to see a flight's progress. Forward your itinerary confirmation emails and Flight View will automatically load them into your Trips. See your Trips across mobile devices and at www.FlightView.com.  Check out their App at https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/flightview-free-real-time/id399057337?mt=8.  There’s also an Android App at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flightview.flightview_free&hl=en.  Click here for a video showing the FlightView website.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

Apps For the Public For Legal Help
The ABA Journal posted an article today entitled “20 Apps to Help Provide Easier Access to Legal Help.”  Most of the apps listed are free.  They range from CitizenshipWorks (an immigration app), to My Health Care Wishes Pro (an app that lets you store health care choices and end-of-life care)  to PhoneView (that lets you print out iPhone, iPad and WhatsApp messages onto a Mac).  Some are geared to consumers, while others are for use by lawyers and consumers.  Check it out.  Whether you personally use them or not – your clients may be! http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/20_apps_providing_easier_access_to_legal_help/?utm_source=maestro&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tech_monthly

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

March 5, 2015

Apps To Notify People in an Emergency
There are apps that make it easy to notify groups of people in the event of a natural disaster, a snow day, or even the cancellation of soccer practice.

You could always send a message via email, but many firms don’t allow staff to have firm email accounts on their mobile devices.  You could text, but then you can’t be sure your message was received.  Some of the apps below allow you to use a specific sequence.  For instance, your message can first go to their home phone, then to their cell phone, then to their home email address.  Most of the apps confirm the receipt of your message.

AtHoc IWS<http://www.athoc.com/products/platform.html#mobile>,

VoiceShot Urgent Alert<http://www.voiceshot.com/public/urgentalert.asp>,

CodeRED Mobile<http://ecnetwork.com/codered/>,

Dell – AlertFind<http://software.dell.com/landing/1478?gclid=Cj0KEQiApbunBRDs0fba3dz484cBEiQAMsx-pyKjXh6z8CdzAtTaURlTc3-HtSIgReOp6oEvbsd4QhEaAmnD8P8HAQ>,

One Call Now<http://www.onecallnow.com/home?gclid=Cj0KEQiApbunBRDs0fba3dz484cBEiQAMsx-p9zBWgVeI8A-J2hW_Nr35yMVyzlAxrT3NhZMuV7p8x4aAk3L8P8HAQ>

Thanks to Grover Brittain, Legal Administrator for the Denver office of McKenna Long & Aldridge, for today’s tip.

EXCEL

July 9, 2015

Recover Microsoft Documents That Weren't Saved Properly
If you lose an Excel, Word or PowerPoint document because of a power failure, frozen screen, or you clicked on Don't Save by mistatke, here's how to easily get it back!
https://vimeo.com/132952271

ADOBE

March 30, 2017

Let Adobe Acrobat Read Your Document Aloud! If you have Acrobat, take advantage of the "read aloud" feature to have your computer read your document aloud. This is a great tool for proofreading or listening to your document for readability.

The video can be found at https://vimeo.com/210666532. 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

MISCELLANEOUS

July 5, 2018

Scheduling a Salvage in Purge in Worldox

If you're like most Worldox clients, you've got your staff's delete functionality set so that they will not actually delete a file, but rather when they hit the "X" on the toolbar to delete a file, instead they're actually moving the file to the Worldox Salvage Bin.

Think of the Worldox Salvage Bin as a holding tank for documents that are set to be deleted, but not actually deleted. Normally, if you have rights to do so, you can search the salvage bin by editing your search template by selecting the "SEARCH WHAT" button (usually below your cabinet fields) and selecting Salvage Bin. Alternatively, if you have rights to do so, you can browse to the Salvage Bin. Read more. http://www.affinityconsulting.com/technology-tips/725-scheduling-a-salvage-bin-purge-in-worldox

June 7, 2018

How to Recover Deleted Files with Recuva (from a partition, memory stick, memory card, ect.)
Do you not hate it when you accidentally delete a file, only to realize later that you need it? If it went to the Recycle Bin, it is easy to restore. But what if you permanently deleted it, with a Shift + Delete keyboard combination? Maybe you had those files on a memory card or USB memory stick, like the photos from your vacation. Luckily, most times it is possible to recover deleted files. Many tools can help you do it, and one of the good ones is called Recuva. In this tutorial we are showing how to use Recuva to recover deleted files. Read more. https://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-recover-accidentally-deleted-files

Feel free to contact Sue Bertram with questions.

March 1, 2018

Instant Transcription on Tools
You may find yourself in need of an instant transcription tool for a whole host of reasons. Maybe you’d like to dictate your novel. Perhaps you need a transcription of your latest speech. Or maybe someone with whom you’re working speaks another language or is hard of hearing. Whatever the reason, you have several free choices that will get you started. Read more.  Feel free to contact Sue Bertram at [email protected] with questions.

December 7, 2017

The Best Gifts for Business Travelers
Tis the season for gift-giving! Does your list include someone that travels for business or has a long daily commute to the office? Whether they're commuting for an hour on the train every day or jetting across the country three times a month, business travelers are always looking for ways to be more productive and comfortable on the road. If you're shopping for someone who spends a lot of time working in planes, trains, buses or hotels, there are some gifts you can get them that will make their lives a lot easier. You may even want to buy these for yourself: https://www.laptopmag.com/articles/best-gifts-for-business-travelers

Feel free to contact Sue Bertram at [email protected] with questions.

October 26, 2017

How to Block Calls in Android, Manually and Automatically
It’s dinner time. You’re just sitting down when you get a call. On the other line, a robotic voice says: “We have important information regarding your credit accounts. Please hold to speak to a representative.”

*click*

How many times has that scenario happened to you or someone you know? Even if the answer is “once,” that directly translates to “too many times.” It’s scammy, annoying, and downright rude.

If you have an Android phone, though, you don’t have to deal with it. There are actually a few different ways to go about blocking numbers on Android, and we’re going to talk about a few of the easiest ones today.

Click here for instructions: https://www.howtogeek.com/171012/how-to-block-a-phone-number-from-calling-your-android-phone/

Feel free to contact Sue Bertram at [email protected] with questions.

October 12, 2017

When Should You Upgrade Your Phone?
Not all phone upgrades are created equal. With the new “8” products – iPhone and Samsung primarily – around the corner, do you NEED to upgrade your phone to the newest product? CNBC had an article earlier this year saying no, you don’t have to upgrade often. Here are ideas for when you should upgrade:

• Out of storage – the cloud may help, but if you’re at capacity with your apps, you should upgrade.
• Cracked screen – cracked screens can hinder your experience. Sometimes it’s easier to replace the phone than shell out for just a screen.
• Battery issues – If your phone doesn’t hold a charge or shuts off randomly – upgrade!

Thanks to Josh Sarnowitz from The Boston 100 for this tip.

Feel free to contact Sue Bertram with questions.

July 6, 2017

Create Secure Passwords You Can Easily Remember
We know the best passwords are long and complex, with a combination of letters, numbers, capital letters and symbols.  But long and complex passwords are difficult to remember.  Next time you have to create a password, think of a phrase that is meaningful to you to use as a base.  For instance, if you have children or pets, start there.  If you have a daughter Sarah born in 1990 and a son John born in 1992, your password might be – mdS90msJ92!

Or if you have a retriever named Duke who likes to chase sticks in the park, your password might be – Mrdl2cs!wp - my retriever Duke likes to chase sticks in Washington Park (use an ! in place of “in”)

Or if you hate Winter – W!nt3r$ucks17 – Winter sucks and the year is 2017              

               Here are some general tips when you’re creating a password: 

* Make it lengthy – should be 8 or more characters.  14 is better.
* Combine letters, numbers and symbols
* Use the entire keyboard – punctuation marks, etc.  Avoid *always* using "look alikes" such as @ for “a” or “$” for s.
* Use the shift key to use other symbols such as #, etc.
* Avoid sequences or repeated characters – 12345 or sssss
* Avoid your login name or address, birthdate, etc.
* Avoid words that would appear in a dictionary
* Use different password for different systems/web sites
* Change them regularly, and don't "reuse" passwords
* Don't reveal them to others – but make sure your employees give them to you
* Do not type passwords on computers you do not control 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

October 27, 2016

Create Electronic Sticky Notes on Your Devices
We’ve all had them – Post-It notes stuck to our computer monitor to help us remember something.  Unfortunately, Post-It notes fall off and get lost. 

Windows 10, 8.1 and 7 have a feature that lets you create electronic sticky notes that won’t fall off.  You can use Sticky Notes to write a to-do list, jot down a phone number, or do anything else you’d use a pad of paper for.  Go to http://www.digitalcitizen.life/how-use-sticky-notes for an explanation of how it works.    

Google Sticky Notes Apps and you’ll get a list of apps for Android devices, iOS devices, and Macs.  There’s something for everyone! 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

May 12, 2016

Having Trouble Sleeping at Night?  Naked Eyes Are Not Designed To Stare At Artificial Blue Light!
The Vision Council’s 2016 Report confirms what many of us know - nearly 70 percent of U.S. adults experience digital eye strain. Digital Eye Strain is the physical discomfort felt after two or more hours in front of a digital screen including tablets, e-readers, smartphones, desktops, and laptops. The culprit is high-energy visible (HEV) light or the blue light emitted by video screens. Blue light affects levels of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin which in turn disrupts our sleep patterns and/or makes it difficult to even fall asleep. New research also suggests that overexposure to blue light, also referred to as high-energy visible or HEV light may contribute to vision problems such as cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Long-term implications are just now being studied, but the short-term impact of digital eye strain affects individuals on a daily basis.

There are ways to lessen digital eye strain without turning off the device. Computer glasses can be made with or without a prescription and help the eye adjust to intermediate-distance objects such as computer screens. There are even lenses that selectively absorb harmful blue light, keeping it from entering through the cornea. Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away. Adjust your monitor so that it is directly in front of your face and slightly below eye level. Do not tilt a computer monitor. Avoid using digital devices an hour before trying to sleep. The blue light from your phone's display is more likely to keep you awake than the incandescent lamp on your bedside table. Avoid using a digital device in complete darkness.  For more info, and a list of Apps that will filter blue light, check out this article on Make Use Of. 

Take care of your eyes, you can’t replace them!

Thanks to Sue Bertram for today’s tip!

January 21, 2016

Struggling with Technology? Visit GCF for Free Help!
Take a look at GCF (Goodwill Community Foundation, Inc). This website is part of the wonderful and helpful Learn Free community! There is a variety of computer topics, all very succinctly organized. The topic categories include Technology Basics, Living In The Online World, Microsoft Office, Essential Skills, and Work and Career. Under each topic are options ranging from Computer Basics to Social Media 101, including Facebook 101, LinkedIn Basics, Twitter and Using the Cloud. Every topic is linked to its own easy–to–follow tutorial. Tutorials are titled and numbered so you can easily navigate through each one. The person learning will need to know how to scroll and click with a mouse and what software programs he or she has in order to choose the correct topic. Whether you are new to the computer, need a refresher or want to gain more 21st century technology skills, you can do it for free at GCF Learn Free!

Contact Sue Bertram at [email protected] if you have questions.

November 26, 2015

Holiday Gifts for the Lawyer in Your Life
My good friend, Reid Trautz, is my counterpart at the American Immigration Lawyers Association.  He just posted his annual lawyer gift-giving picks on his blog titled Reid My Blog.  He has some great suggestions!  Be sure to check out his ten previous editions of his Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers, in case there’s an “oldie but goodie” that strikes your fancy!

Additionally, the ABA just posted their 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.  Check out their list of books by and for lawyers.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

November 12, 2015

Cell Phones for Soldiers
It’s Veteran’s Day, and so it’s appropriate to feature a tech tip that helps soldiers.   Cell Phones For Soldiers is a national nonprofit dedicated to serving troops and veterans with free communication services and emergency funding.  Founded in 2004 by a brother and sister aged 12 and 13, you can donate money, cell phones, smart phones or tablets.  Military members receive free international calling cards to connect with loved ones when they’ve been deployed.

Contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

March 5, 2015

Apps To Notify People in an Emergency
There are apps that make it easy to notify groups of people in the event of a natural disaster, a snow day, or even the cancellation of soccer practice.

You could always send a message via email, but many firms don’t allow staff to have firm email accounts on their mobile devices.  You could text, but then you can’t be sure your message was received.  Some of the apps below allow you to use a specific sequence.  For instance, your message can first go to their home phone, then to their cell phone, then to their home email address.  Most of the apps confirm the receipt of your message.

AtHoc IWS<http://www.athoc.com/products/platform.html#mobile>,

VoiceShot Urgent Alert<http://www.voiceshot.com/public/urgentalert.asp>,

CodeRED Mobile<http://ecnetwork.com/codered/>,

Dell – AlertFind<http://software.dell.com/landing/1478?gclid=Cj0KEQiApbunBRDs0fba3dz484cBEiQAMsx-pyKjXh6z8CdzAtTaURlTc3-HtSIgReOp6oEvbsd4QhEaAmnD8P8HAQ>,

One Call Now<http://www.onecallnow.com/home?gclid=Cj0KEQiApbunBRDs0fba3dz484cBEiQAMsx-p9zBWgVeI8A-J2hW_Nr35yMVyzlAxrT3NhZMuV7p8x4aAk3L8P8HAQ>

Thanks to Grover Brittain, Legal Administrator for the Denver office of McKenna Long & Aldridge, for today’s tip.

February 19, 2015

Newly Revised Self-Audit Checklist
The Office of Attorney Regulation has just posted their newly revised self-audit checklist on their website at  http://www.coloradosupremecourt.com/pdfs/Regulation/SELF-AUDIT CHECKLIST.pdf

Patterned after one used in Washington State based on Nancy Byerly Jones’ book  Easy Self-Audits for The Busy Law Office, it is a great resource to identify strengths and weaknesses in your office management practices.  Categories include Technology, Professional Practice, Financial Recordkeeping and Reporting, Budgeting, Billing and Timekeeping. 

While you’re there, take a look at OARC’s Annual Report at http://www.coloradosupremecourt.com/pdfs/Regulation/2013%20Annual%20Report.pdf – among other information, Appendix E has a pie chart that breaks down the central intake inquiries by practice area (Family Law is the highest – Worker’s Comp the lowest).  In addition, there’s a pie chart broken down by nature of the complaint (Strategy/Tactics – Opposing Counsel is the highest).  Check it out when you get a chance! 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions

January 8, 2015

How to Block Phone Calls, Emails, Text Messages, Etc. on an iPhone, Android Device and Outlook
Although it doesn’t happen very often, some of us find we need to block a particular caller from contacting us via phone, text message, Face Time or Outlook.  Fortunately, it’s very easy.  

Here’s how to do it on an iPhone, which covers phone calls, text messages and Face Time –

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-block-calls-on-an-apple-iphone/

Here’s how to do it on an Android device –

http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-block-phone-calls-on-your-android-smartphone/

Here’s how to do it in Outlook –

http://www.technipages.com/outlook-block-email

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

WINDOWS

February 15, 2018

How to Start any Windows App with a Keyboard Shortcut
Few people know that Windows allows users to start their favorite apps using keyboard shortcuts. You can use predefined keyboard shortcuts to launch both desktop apps and apps from the Microsoft Store. Or, you can use your custom keyboard shortcuts, to start any app you want. This can be done using built-in features of Windows, without using third-party apps. If you are curious or you need to run apps using keyboard shortcuts, read on: https://www.digitalcitizen.life/start-windows-apps-keyboard-shortcut

February 16, 2017

Access Recently Opened Documents Using the “Recent Items” Feature in Windows
This tip is right up there on my all-time favorite tips list! You can set up Windows 7 to automatically display a list of the documents you’ve accessed most recently. Windows XP had this feature enabled by default. In Windows 7, you must active it yourself. Click here to watch the short video tutorial.

I use this feature every single day, and I bet you will, too. Feel free to contact Reba Nance with questions

September 14, 2017

MOVE TABLE ROWS QUICKLY IN MICROSOFT WORD 2016, 2013 AND 2010 – NO CUT AND PASTE REQUIRED!
Do you insert a new row, then cut and paste your data every time you have to move a table row? If so, you’ll be pleased to know there’s no need for all that extra work.

Instead, select the row you wish to move and press [Alt][Shift][Up Arrow] to move the entire row up one level. Continue pressing this key combination until your row is in the proper location. To move a row down, press [Alt][Shift][Down Arrow]. If you need to move more than one contiguous row at a time, select them all and use the same key combination.

Use Word’s Autocorrect To Cut Down on Typos and Keystrokes
When typing documents, I often find that I have to repeatedly type words which are lengthy and prone to errors.  I also find that I frequently insert certain phrases over and over.  So I enlisted the spellchecker to allow me to use abbreviations. 

In Word,  open a  new document and type an abbreviation, for example, "ptf".  Click on the Review tab, then on Spelling and Grammar (on the far left).  This brings up the correction screen.  Now click on the "Options" button, which pops up the Word Options screen.  Click on "Proofing".  At the top of the next screen is a button labeled "Autocorrect Options".  Click on it, and you will see the option to "replace text as you type", with your "ptf" shown in the left window and (hopefully) nothing in the right window.

Proceed by typing "plaintiff" in the right window.  If you see "Replace", Word is telling you that a correction for "ptf" already exists, but you have the option to change it.  If you see "Add", go ahead and add this abbreviation.  You can add multiple abbreviations, and not just single words, you can add phrases.  So "dfd" would become "defendant" and "msj" would become "motion for summary judgment".

When you are done, click OK twice to go back to your document.   Now type "The ptf emailed the msj to the dfd".  This magically will change to "The plaintiff emailed the motion for summary judgment to the defendant", as you type.   34 characters versus 70, and the more abbreviations you use, the more you save.  The main time savings for me do not come from typing fewer characters, but rather from not having to keep backing up and correcting typos in long words and phrases.

 I use this all the time, especially in patent filings and responses to UPSTO office actions.  For example, I can type "osa" and it transforms to "one of ordinary skill in the art".   I use it for technical terms so that "gpl" is shorthand for "geophysical", "msm" becomes "microseismic", and  "hfo" means "hydraulic fracturing operation".

I originally developed this technique while at law school, where for a while I just typed the abbreviations like "dfd", "ptf", etc. and then I realized that the spellchecker wanted to correct them anyway - so why not let it help me instead of nagging me?

This tip was submitted by CBA member Michael Reilly, Independent Arbitrator, Attorney at Law and Registered Patent Attorney

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

June 9, 2016

Let Word Put Lists in Alphabetical, Date or Number Order For You!
Have you ever struggled with typing a list and attempting to put it in alphabetical order at the same time? Or, do you occasionally need to put an existing list in alpha, date or numeric order? Don’t waste time moving the list around manually — let Microsoft Word do it for you! 

Contact Reba Nance at [email protected] if you have questions.

May 26, 2016

Figure Out the Number of Words and Characters in a Document
Word keeps track of the number of words in a document and displays that information on the bottom of the screen.  But it also keeps track of the numbers of characters as well.  This brief video will show you how it works.  Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

December 10, 2015

Repeat Header Row on Every Page of a Word Table
If you use tables in Word, you know that inserting a header row at the top of your table does not mean the header will automatically appear on every subsequent page.  Fortunately, you can set that up in Word 2010 with just a couple of clicks.

Check out the video at ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­www.blahblah.com to see how.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

July 9, 2015

Recover Microsoft Documents That Weren't Saved Properly
If you lose an Excel, Word or PowerPoint document because of a power failure, frozen screen, or you clicked on Don't Save by mistatke, here's how to easily get it back!

https://vimeo.com/132952271

June 11, 2015

Easily Jump to a Specific Page in Microsoft Word
To move around quickly in Word documents, double-click on the bar at the bottom left-hand of the screen that contains the page numbers, select the page you want, and you'll jump right to it!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

April 16, 2015

How to Change the Default Folder to Save Documents in Word 2007 and 2010
By default, Word tries to save new documents in your “My Documents” folder. Many of us want to save documents somewhere else. For example, if you save your documents to client folders, here’s how you can change the default location for saved documents to something such as C:\clients\documents. That way, the next time you click on “Save As” the location will default to C:\clients\documents and all you have to choose is the individual client folder. Here’s how:

March 19, 2015

Recovering a “Lost” Microsoft Word Document
We’ve all had it happen at one time or another.  You’re working on a Word document, and your computer freezes up.  Or you close a document, but can’t find it again.  If it happens to you, you know how frustrating it can be.  It can happen if an error occurs that forces Word to quit, or you experience a power outage while editing, or you mistakenly close the document before saving the changes.  Microsoft has a very helpful article at http://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/316951 which walks you through seven possible methods of recovering lost Word documents.  Unfortunately, some documents may not be recoverable – but it’s worth a try, right?  Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

February 5, 2015

Using Paste Special in Word
Paste Special is an incredibly handy tool I use frequently. We all use cut and paste when drafting documents. It is handy to be able to grab text from a website (or anywhere else), copy it, and then put it into your Word documents. Nine times out of ten, though, the text you’ve copied into your document is in a different font, size, etc. Wouldn’t it be nice to put text into your Word document and have it assume the formatting of your Word document instead of the source document? With just a few key strokes, you can! Click here to see how.Contact Reba Nance at [email protected] if you have questions.

January 22, 2015

Word 2010 - Displaying the Document Path on the Ribbon
Many Word users would like to easily know where the document they have open is stored.  Fortunately, there are detailed step-by-step instructions at http://www.groovypost.com/howto/howto/show-file-path-in-office-2010-quick-access-toolbar/ .  These instructions will automatically include the path of an open document in the Ribbon.  If you want to copy the path (without having to retype it) simply go up to the box where the path is listed, click on it so it is highlighted, press and c together, to copy it, go to wherever you want the path to be printed, and press v to paste it.  It’s that easy!  Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions. 

GOOGLE

August 31, 2017

Google Voice and Why I Love It
Whether you have a land line or just a cell phone, Google Voice is full of handy features, and it’s free:

•             Use as a receptionist — to take messages for you

•             Conference calls

•             Access voice mail from your phone or computer

•             Choose your number with any U.S. area code

•             Outgoing calls can look as if they come from a different number each time

•             Email messages to a third party

•             The ability to block callers

•             Cheap worldwide calls

Create efficiency in your practice — callers have to announce who they are and why they are calling which helps you decide whether or not to answer. Tag contact groups and create multiple personalized messages for each type of caller (client, office, family, etc). Set up Google Voice to ring all of your telephones at the same time so a client can reach you just by dialing one phone number. This can be specified to time of day or by who is calling.

The feature I love the most is the text/email message option. When someone leaves a message, a transcript is sent as a text, email or both, with a record of the time, caller, phone number and what was said.

Check out these 11 short videos at google.com/googlevoice/about on how to use Google Voice. You won’t regret it!

Thank you to CBA member Jim Moss for this Tip of the Week!

April 14, 2016

Use Google Alerts to Monitor Anything on the Internet 
You can use Google Alerts to monitor anything on the Web.  And did I mention it’s free?

It takes less than a minute to set one up, and you can use them to find out what’s being said about you, your client (or potential client), an issue relevant to your practice (such as product recalls), a sports team, keep up to date on an industry, a news story, or anything else you can think of!

Once it’s been set up, Google will automatically search the Internet and send you an e-mail any time it finds information that matches your alert.  To keep the number of alerts under control, check out their advanced options which allow you to choose how often you receive alerts and determine how many results you see in each alert so they’re relevant to your query and high quality.  You can even limit it to a specific source such as blogs, news or web.

Check out https://support.google.com/alerts/bin/answer.py?hl=en&topic=28415&answer=175925&parent=28413&rd=2 for information on what alerts are, how they’re used, and how to set one up.  Then start simple - take a minute now and set up an alert on yourself!

INTERNET/WEBSITE

July 20, 2017

Chrome Users - Stop videos from "autoplay" on websites 
It seems most websites now have videos that automatically play when the page is loaded.  If you would want to prevent this, download the Chrome extension - Disable HTNL5 Autoplay.  Open Chrome and cut/paste the following URL into the address bar, https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/disable-html5-autoplay/efdhoaajjjgckpbkoglidkeendpkolai?hl=en

You should see a page.  Click on the “Add to Chrome” button in the upper right-hand corner.  The button will change to “Added to Chrome” if the installation was successful.

Eventually the website developers will program their pages to ignore this browser extension and there will be a different solution to install.  For now, this is an option should you want to prevent videos from autoplaying when accessing webpages. 

Thanks to the CBA’s own Mel Reveles, Director of IT, for this tip!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

May 11, 2017

Interactive Map of the Colorado Judicial Districts 
There's a great interactive map showing all of Colorado's judicial districts at http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Map.cfm 

You can easily see the counties that make up each district and at least one city in each county.  Hover your mouse over a judicial district, click on it, and the link takes you directly to that district's website.  It couldn't be easier!  

Feel free to email Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

December 22, 2016

Website to Help You Analyze Nutrition in Any Recipe (and further your resolution to eat healthy in 2017!)
If you’re like most folks who make a New Year’s Resolution – yours involves eating heathy and/or losing weight.  In 2016, Nielsen reported  (http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2016/a-healthy-salute-to-new-years-resolutions.html (Alexa - in case you want to link it), the top 2 resolutions were:  Staying Fit/Healthy – 36% and Losing Weight - 32%.  The result was exactly the same in 2015.

Even if losing weight is not one of your personal resolutions, virtually everyone strives to eat healthier.  It’s easier than ever to learn the nutrition from items in the grocery store and restaurants.  The rub has been old family recipes, or recipes on the Internet that don’t break down the nutrition.    

There are websites that allow you to enter ingredients one by one, but that is terribly time-consuming.   This website (https://www.caloriecount.com/cc/recipe_analysis.php) that lets you cut-and-paste the ingredients and amounts and it will break down the nutrition and even give you a nutrition label (like you see on items in the grocery store).  It couldn’t be easier!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

September 29, 2016

Website – Down For Everyone Or Just Me
You’re on the Internet, but you can’t get a website to pull up. It could be that the website is down, or it could be something on your end. The next time you’re having trouble getting to a website, check out downforeveryoneorjustme.com. The sole purpose of this site is to check if the website you're trying to access is actually down for everyone or if it’s something on your end. Once there, you can enter the URL of the site you’re trying to access, and then click on “or just me?”  The site comes back with a screen that tells us whether the site itself is down or whether it's just you. Very cool!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

September 1, 2016

Use Acronym Finder to Find Meaning of Acronyms and Abbreviations
I was reading an article the other day titled "10 Simple Things SMB Websites Need to Fix Before SEO."  I knew that SEO meant search engine optimization, but I wasn't sure about SMB.  I quickly pulled up one of my favorite websites - Acronym Finder at www.acronymfinder.com. I typed SMB in the box  at the top of the page in the middle and clicked the find button to the right of the box.  I scrolled down a little and I saw that my search returned 62 meanings.  "Small and Medium Business" was the second one listed, between “Server Message Block” and “Seven Mile Beach (Cayman Islands)”Acronym Finder has been around since 1996 and currently has over 1,000,000 human-edited definitions for acronyms and abbreviations.  Every term is reviewed for accuracy, verified from multiple sources, categorized and edited by an experienced human editor. 

The next time you come across an acronym or abbreviation you don't know, run it through Acronym Finder.  I can almost guarantee you'll find what you're looking for! 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

 August 9, 2016

Unpublished Opinions of the Court of Appeals Are Available Via E-Mail - at no charge!
Upon request, the Court of Appeals will send a copy of an unpublished opinion directly to your e-mail box!  All you need to know is the case name and case number.  Go to their website at http://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Court_of_Appeals/Opinion_Request.cfm to fill out the form.  Click "Submit", and your request will be answered by 5:00 pm the following business day.  It's just that easy!  If you don't know the case name or number, but you know the approximate date it was announced, you may look for it by the date of announcement.  Go to https://www.courts.state.co.us/Courts/Court_Of_Appeals/Case_Announcements/Index.cfs Scroll to the bottom of the page and select the year, and then the month and click on Go.  All opinions will be listed by date of announcement.  Please contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

March 31, 2016

Check out Flight Tracker for the Latest Fight Updates
Flight Tracker is a great website (and free App) that lets you track upcoming and in-air flights, and receive status alerts via push notification. Check gate assignments, delays and cancellations and use the flight map to see a flight's progress. Forward your itinerary confirmation emails and Flight View will automatically load them into your Trips. See your Trips across mobile devices and at www.FlightView.com.  Check out their App at https://itunes.apple.com/en/app/flightview-free-real-time/id399057337?mt=8.  There’s also an Android App at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flightview.flightview_free&hl=en.  Click here for a video showing the FlightView website.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

March 17, 2016

Protect Yourself from Becoming a Victim of RansomwareIf you use the internet or email you are susceptible to being infected with ransomware. Once infected, your files become encrypted and you are held hostage without hope of retrieving your files until you pay the ransom being demanded. In addition to being extremely frustrating it can be very costly. You can save yourself serious time and money with regular backups, and by following tips from the experts on the subject to surf safely. Take a look at this article by Norton for proactive advice on protecting yourself.

Contact Melissa Lucas at [email protected] if you have questions.

January 7, 2016

Currency Converter and Cheat Sheet for Travelers
One of my favorite travel websites is Oanda.   In addition to listing the current exchange rate for the currency of the country you’re visiting, it has a cool feature that allows you to print a cheat sheet that fits in your wallet.  Select the “Currency I Have” and the “Currency I Want”  A drop-down menu lets you scroll down to the country, or you can enter the name of the country in the search box.  For example, select Brazil and you will see that one U.S. dollar exchanges for 3.99 Brazilian Reals.  Now click “Traveler’s Cheatsheet” box and then “Print a Copy” and you’ll have a cheat sheet that’s the perfect size for your wallet.  On one side you’ll see amounts in U.S. dollars from $1 to $10 and larger increments including $100, $250, $500 and $1,000.  The other side will show you the amount in Reals and the equivalent in U.S. dollars.  It couldn’t be easier!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

November 26, 2015

Holiday Gifts for the Lawyer in Your Life
My good friend, Reid Trautz, is my counterpart at the American Immigration Lawyers Association.  He just posted his annual lawyer gift-giving picks on his blog titled Reid My Blog.  He has some great suggestions!  Be sure to check out his ten previous editions of his Holiday Gift Guide for Lawyers, in case there’s an “oldie but goodie” that strikes your fancy!

Additionally, the ABA just posted their 2015 Holiday Gift Guide.  Check out their list of books by and for lawyers.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

October 15, 2015

Free Full-Text Online Law Review/Law Journal Search Engine
I am often asked where to go to get law review articles at no cost.  Fortunately, the ABA has a resource for this.  Check out the ABA's Legal Technology Resource Center's (LTRC) Free Full-Text Online Law Review/Law Journal Search for law review and law journals.

This free search engine searches the free full-text of over 400 online law reviews and law journals, as well as document repositories hosting academic papers and related publications such as Congressional Research Service reports. Several of the law reviews and legal journals (such as the Stanford Technology Law Review), working papers, and reports are available online only.

They also have a list of free full-text content online, but which must be searched/browsed manually.

Very cool!  Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

October 1, 2015

Easily Calculate the Duration Between Dates
Whether you’re trying to calculate “What date is in X days” or “What is the duration between two dates” there are websites to help.  One of my favorites is Time and Date.com.  Recently I had to calculate how many days there were between two dates to be sure they were no more than 90 days apart, and it was simply a matter of entering the beginning and ending date.  You can also use this site to calculate what date a response is due to the court or to opposing counsel.  One of the best functions on the site is the ability to include (or exclude) weekends, holidays, etc.  You can even create custom criteria such as excluding Tuesdays.  The site also lets you set up a countdown to a date, and it has a stopwatch and a timer/alarm.

Next time you need to calculate the date that is 10 days from today (excluding weekends and holidays), give Time and Date a try!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

August 6, 2015

Government Website to Check For Automobile and Motorcycle Open Recalls
Whether you need to check to see if your car’s airbag was manufactured by Takata and has been recalled, or you have a personal injury case and it’s critical to know if the vehicle involved was under an open recall – check out Safercar.gov.

The website is maintained by the federal government and it couldn’t be easier to use.  Simply type in the VIN number of the car or motorcycle to see if there are any open recalls.  It includes information on open recalls conducted over the last 15 calendar years, including motorcycle manufacturers.  Give it a try!

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

June 25, 2015

Use the History Feature in Your Browser to Access Websites You’ve Recently Visited
There’s a nifty feature in Chrome (and other) browsers that I use all the time.  I sometimes visit a website and decide I want to go back a couple of days later.  The problem is I have no clue of the exact address.  I might remember the main URL, but not the exact page that took me 8 clicks to get to.  This video will show you some of the cool features in using History in Chrome.

https://vimeo.com/131683022

May 28, 2015

AlternativeTo.net Helps You Find Alternatives to Software and Apps
I recently stumbled across a great website that lets you find alternatives to software and apps.  You simply type in the name of the software you’d like to find an alternative to.  Maybe you’re looking for something less expensive, or you need an app for your Android device but it looks like it’s only available for Apple devices.  Check it out at alternativeto.net.  Type in the name of the software or app in the upper right-hand corner where it says “Find an alternative to . . .” and you’ll get a list alternatives you can check out.  I typed in “Adobe Acrobat” and it found 102 alternatives.  Under the names of the alternatives, they link to the software and indicate whether it’s free or there’s a cost, and which platforms it works with (Windows, Mac, etc.)   

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

May 14, 2015

Wi-Fi Airport Guide  
As more people use Wi-Fi in airports, it’s good to know that Airfarewatchdog just updated their Airport Wi-Fi Guide.  The guide is organized alphabetically by city name, and lists the hotspot name and whether access is free or there is a cost.  The next time you have a trip planned, check it out.

You should also check out these articles for tips on using public Wi-Fi safely.  They all contain simple steps you can take to be more secure.

Staying Safe on Public Wi-Fi from CNET dated August 2014

How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi Networks from Lifehacker dated at November 2014

Tips for Using Public Wi-Fi Networks from the FTC dated March 2014

Feel free to email Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

April 30, 2015

Check Out ABA 2015 TECHSHOW’s “60 Sites in 60 Minutes”
Arguably one of the most popular programs at TECHSHOW every year is “60 Sites in 60 Minutes”.  This year’s session was held on Saturday, April 18, 2015 in Chicago.  They just posted the list of websites, with links, at http://www.techshow.com/2015/04/60-sites-in-60-minutes-from-aba-techshow-2015/

Some will be helpful in your practice, and some will just be fun!  Hotel WiFi Test at http://www.hotelwifitest.com/, Pronounce Names at www.pronouncenames.com, and Invisible Girlfriend at https://www.invisiblegirlfriend.com/ are just a few of the sites you’ll find on the list.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

Casemaker

June 22, 2018

Excluding Terms with a NOT Search
Are your results giving you a bunch of cases that are not relevant but still contain your terms? Do those irrelevant cases all seem to have a term in common? Maybe you should try excluding a term. For example, maybe you want documents that mention property but not commercial property. In the search bar, you can enter property NOT commercial and Casemaker will give you cases that mention property that do not contain the word commercial.

May 24, 2018

And Searches
The AND search is the simplest search to do in Casemaker. Simply put any number of words in leaving a space between each, and Casemaker will retrieve documents which contain all the words you mentioned. Contract binding will find the documents which mention both the word contact and the word binding. The search string handgun felony minor will find the documents with the words handgun, felony and minor in them. Please Note: You do not need and should not use the word AND in your search. The system already sees the space between your terms as an AND search unless you say otherwise. Using the word AND may yield the wrong results. Find more Casemaker tips here.

April 26, 2018 

Cited Cases - New Feature
Cited Cases allows you to see the cases that were cited within a case. To use this feature, simply pull up a case by searching or browsing. While reading the case, you can click on the tab at the top of the case labeled Cited Cases. This will pull up a list of cases which were cited in that case. 

March 29, 2018

Casemaker Mobile App
The Casemaker Mobile app is available in the Apple App Store as well as Google Play. Once you have downloaded the app, you will need to register it. To register log in to the Casemaker website on your computer and click on the Mobile Application link on the left of the Casemaker home page. Fill out the form at that link to register and to receive a reference code. Then open the app on your mobile device and enter the email address you used to register, as well as the reference code you received. Please note the code is case sensitive. Then you are ready to have all the breadth of coverage Casemaker provides, in the palm of your hand!

March 15, 2018

New and Improved Jurisdiction Menu

Located between the search box and the search button, the Jurisdiction menu is one of the most powerful tools in the Casemaker system. It gives you the control to select as many or as few jurisdictions as you like - and now you can also select the exact type of data you want in those jurisdictions. This saves you the step of selecting the data type after your search!

Not familiar with the jurisdiction menu? It is easy to use! Rather than clicking on the state you want on the homepage, instead, click on the box located between the search box and the blue search button. There is a blue downward pointing arrow in the right side of this box. Clicking on this arrow will pull up the pop-up menu and from here you can check as many or as few boxes as you need. You can even select the type of data you want. Want to keep your selections as your default search? Just click the Save to My Settings button! For more Tips visit Tips of the Week. 

January 4, 2018

Comprehensive Federal Law
Federal laws and regulations are complex and ever-changing. Casemaker not only offers the current Federal Register but archives of the Register back to 2001. Casemaker also offers you the Code of Federal Regulations with notations to alert you to future effective changes. Of course, Casemaker offers you both current and archived United States Code as well as current and archived Public Law. Feel free to contact Sue Bertram at [email protected] with questions.

Emailing Documents from Casemaker
Have you have been viewing a document in Casemaker and wanted to just email it to your client or colleague? Casemaker allows for just that! To email a document to your client, your colleague, or even yourself – you first need to click on the envelope icon located in the upper right-hand corner of the document in the dark gray bar. A pop-up window will appear giving you a number of options to choose from. You can select the document format. You can choose to send a PDF, Word or WordPerfect document as well as chose dual or single column format. You can also decide to include your notes or any highlighted terms. If you would like, you can attach the list of citing references and any negative treatment found as well. Make your choices then enter the recipient's email address (or addresses), a subject for the email, and a short message if you wish. Then hit the blue email button and Casemaker will email the document for you. It is that simple! Feel free to contact Sue Bertram at [email protected] with questions.

September 28, 2017

Additional Security with Casemaker
Casemaker takes pride in being safe and secure – but we understand if you would like another layer of security. This is why we give you the option to add an additional password to Casemaker. Simply click Setup Password in the My Accounts section of Casemaker. Here you will be able to set a password and security question to further secure your research and notes.
Feel free to contact Sue Bertram with questions.

August 17, 2017

Casemaker – See (and Easily Print or Download) an entire Chapter or Section of a Statute Using Combined Link
While you are browsing the statutes, rules and other materials you may sometimes notice an italicized chapter or section title with the word combined at the end in parentheses.  Clicking on this link will give you not just one statute or rule, but all the statutes or rules in that chapter or section.  This is helpful if you wish to print or download the entire chapter or section.  It is also useful if you simply do not want to be forced to navigate to each individual statute or rule and would like to view them together.

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

April 27, 2017

Casemaker - One Page
I am often asked if there is a way to see an entire chapter or section of a statute on one page.  This makes it easy to scroll through or print out the text without having to click between the contained portions of the statute.  This video will show you how! https://vimeo.com/214745058

March 2, 2017

CasemakerDigest – An Amazing Tool You Didn’t Know About!
CasemakerDigest is part of the Casemaker research tool that is free to all CBA members.  It allows you to search current cases narrowed down by 50 practice areas/issues.   You can also narrow your search by jurisdiction, judge, keyword, etc.  The February 2017 Tech Tuesday 30 minute video at https://vimeo.com/206291509 shows you how to use CasemakerDigest. 

But the Digest is also a summary service, providing summaries of cases that are currently coming out of the court system. Digest allows you to create and manage email alerts to receive these summaries directly through your inbox, daily or weekly, according to your areas of interest, jurisdiction, judge, and more.  Check out the video to see how CasemakerDigest can benefit you! 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

October 29, 2015

Casemaker – Advanced Search Techniques
I hope you’ve been using Casemaker – the CBA’s free legal research tool.  Many firms have been able to give up their for-pay options because Casemaker has continued to build the functionality and depth of their included materials.  Now, in addition to the complimentary training available in Casemaker, we have scheduled a program on Advanced Search Techniques.  Join us on Thursday, November 5th at 8:30 am for Advanced Casemaker Search Techniques!Robert Linz, Associate Director & Head of Public Services at the University of Colorado School of Law, will share his expertise in advanced research techniques in this one hour program. Submitted for 1 General CLE Credit. Click HERE for more information and to register.

Contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

April 28, 2016

Casemaker Library Includes Recently-Added Federal Materials
Casemaker is the CBA’s free legal research tool.  Click on the Casemaker logo on the main CBA page at www.cobar.org.  Complimentary CLE-accredited webinars are held every other month and available to CBA members around the state.  Scroll down the page for a link to the webinar training schedule and online tutorials.  You can also attend in person if you prefer.

If you haven’t checked out Casemaker lately, take a look at the new Federal materials that have been added.  These include the Federal Communications Commission going back to 2000, Federal Labor Relations Authority going back to 2009, Internal Revenue Bulletins going back to 2008, and the National Labor Relations Board going back to 2000. 

To see everything that is included in the Federal library, click on Federal Materials from the main Casemaker page.  We welcome suggestions for materials you’d like to see included in Casemaker.  Please email Reba Nance at[email protected] with suggestions for new materials and questions concerning Casemaker.  Members tell us that Casemaker is one of the most valuable benefits – check it out if you haven’t already!

September 15, 2016

Free Casemaker Mobile App 
There is a free mobile app as well, available in both iOS and Android versions.  To download the app, go to the CBA’s website at www.cobar.organd be sure you’re logged on as a member.  Click on Casemaker on the left-hand side of the page.  Once you’re in Casemaker, click on Mobile App on the left-hand side.  You’ll be asked for some identifying information and you’ll receive a code.  Download the app, enter the code, and you’re good to go!  Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.

November 10, 2016

Casemaker – Cut-and-Paste Automatically Comes With the Citation, and Even Pin Citation!
Casemaker has a great feature you should take advantage of!  If you want to copy a portion of a case or a statute into a brief or other document, Casemaker has a feature that lets you do that, and will automatically include the citation for you!  Here’s how: 

Pull up the case or statute

Highlight the text you’d like to copy

Right-click and choose one of the three options:

               Copy – this simply copies the text you’ve highlighted, without the citation

               Copy with Citation – this will copy the text, and automatically include the citation so you don’t have to type it yourself

               Copy with Pin Citation – this will copy the text, and automatically include the citation and the exact page number from where        the text came

Open a new document

Paste the text into the document as you normally would and the citation will automatically be inserted with the text. 

Feel free to contact Reba Nance at [email protected] with questions.