Choose "Select" to open Microsoft Outlook and browse your list of contacts.

First, open up the folder in mndocs for probate forms. For this example, I’m going to create a simple Probate Case File Information form. I double-click on that form, enter basic information and, when I get to the part of the interview to add “Participants and Others Involved in the Matter” I now have a new button labeled “Select”  (see screenshot). Click on that button and Microsoft Outlook should open to your contacts. Browse your contacts for the right person and double click on the listing. Basic information should then be transferred over to mndocs.

I say basic information, as we have only added basic functionality right now. It brings over the name of the person as well as the person’s address, but not much else. That functionality, however, should help speed things up and cut down on data entry errors, assuming you have the right information already entered in Outlook. You will also still need to do a bit of cleanup, such as adding the state (it doesn’t get that down correctly right now) and gender (which I don’t list in my Outlook contacts and it therefore cannot transfer information that I haven’t recorded).

But, it’s a feature we will increasingly look toward improving and rolling out to the other practice areas. We just need to hear from you how well it works and what other information you may want it to bring in to mndocs. Let us know.

Basically, it will work like this: if you want to add a different address for your law firm or company and don’t want to modify your overall preferences every time, just check off two options on the “Staffing on Matter” screen. Those options, which I’ve circled below in a screenshot from mndocs, allow you to change the law firm name and the law firm or company adddress on the fly, as in whenever you choose to do so on a specific file. It’s good not only if you want to have a different address for a pro bono case but also if you want to fine tune your contact information for a particular file.

A quick note: while it’s not yet live and published, expect it by December 3 for family law forms. We’ll roll out additional practice areas shortly afterward.

• Make sure you enter information about both the trust and the trustee in the interview section for “Parties.” For the trust, make sure you check off that it is a legal entity (see images below).
• Once you provide the name and details of the trust, you will have additional options on the same screen to add information about the date of the trust, original trustees, and the trust grantor (all of which are needed for the Certificate of Trust).
• Make sure you have information about the name and address of the individual or corporate trustee. Once you provide that information, you will be able to select the name of the trustee on subsequent screens, whether you need the name of the trustee for the Certificate of Trust, Trustee’s Deed, or Affidavit of Trustee. If you do not see the name of the trustee (or the trust), you need to go back to the last two steps above to make sure you add them.

As an added bonus, I’ve uploaded a sample answer file for the fictional Arthur Jones Trust. Download that answer file here and mess around with it. We’ve found a sample answer file is a good way to look at how to assemble various forms.

Entering Trust Information

Choosing the Trust and Trustee

Note: special thanks to Charlie Roach who pointed out a small bug in the way the Affidavit of Trustee populated the name of the trustee. We just published an updated form set with a fix for that bug.

• More Freedom, More Forms. We remain committed to continuing development of mndocs forms, with the hope of adding substantially new forms in the near future. With the change of ownership, we are now no longer restricted by any area of law in which we can develop forms. Previously, because LexisNexis offered its own document assembly form sets, we were restricted from developing any competing sets. That’s changed, and the most notable difference now will be the ability to add civil litigation forms, such as motion documents, settlements, complaints, and other core civil litigation forms.

• Platform Independence. Probably the most notable development, which is not unique to HotDocs or mndocs, is the rapid deployment of web-based software applications and services, what are often called “cloud-based” solutions. HotDocs has for a number of years offered a cloud-based model where users assemble documents on the web, in their browser. We looked at this early on in 2007 but the product, in our opinion then, was not yet there (plus it was exceedingly expensive). That has changed. The newest server version of HotDocs appears robust, much more intuitive, and well supported in its development. What does that mean for you? It means that we are starting to look carefully at how best to deliver mndocs and whether we should do so “in the cloud.” If we adopted this approach, it would do away with any need to download updates to your template sets, as you would have the most current version every time you use the system. It would also allow Apple users, previously foreclosed from using mndocs without buying additional software, to use the service easily. But it also means you need a web connection to use the service, which could at times be problematic, slow, or non-existent (that’s not a HotDocs issue, just one of the internet and bandwidth). And while that connection will be encrypted and secure, it may nevertheless cause some users to hesitate to use it, not sure about how safe any sensitive client data may be on the internet.

• Our Business Model. We develop mndocs for MSBA members, whose dues pay for the service. From the beginning, we pursued a business model that would either provide mndocs free to members or would entail a nominal charge (currently $25.00 per year). That continues to be our model, but pricing changes from HotDocs and a possible switch to a browser-based solution may make us rethink the ultimate cost to the member. While we continue our commitment to a nominally priced service, it’s possible that in the future we will need to charge more for the entire form set, though typically far less than other solutions on the market (most solutions are typically around $300 to $400 per year). But, before we get there, we’ll seek out as much input as we can get from users on any ultimate cost.

• e-Filing. Electronic filing for state courts and governments is well on its way to reality, at least in Minnesota. Much of the discussion at the Chicago event revolved around what HotDocs already does to automate and control your documents, whether you are a small shop or a global enterprise (one presenter, ComputerShare, deploys HotDocs to manage a dizzying array of corporate governance documents for its global clients). But what if we used HotDocs to produce nothing but data? What if HotDocs could be used to transmit data to government filing agencies, using its XML file format (a common data format)? It’s a tantalizing idea and, with e-filing already here or around the corner, we plan to stay on top of developments in this area as we try to figure out how to make e-filing easier for Minnesota attorneys once it’s upon us.

First, I’d start with the QuickFill Final Account, which I talked about earlier here (and included a video to boot). In completing the final account, a dialogue (called “Final Account Details) asks for the specific information you are planning to include for disbursements and for increases. Choose the checkbox for “Interim Distributions to Devisees & Heirs.” When you do that, a new dialogue is added to the interview entitled “Distribution of the Estate.” (see image below).

Simply choose the dialogue for Distribution of the Estate and add a distributee and amount of distribution. But (and here’s the kicker that gets past some users), make sure you also choose “CHECK if this is an interim distribution prior to filing of the Final Account.” It should look like this when you are done (click on the image below to expand it):

Dialogue: Distribution of the Estate

That’s it. As I’ve said before, the Final Account is one of our most complicated forms. While we’ve tried to simplify it with the relatively new QuickFill form, there are still some tricks to get it to work the way you want. But if you run into any trouble, please shoot me an email.

A tweak worth mentioning in this release is one that simplifies the completion of a probate Inventory. Previously, we got all automagical on you and allowed you to pick a personal representative (who normally completes the form) from a list of people. That really wasn’t necessary, given the form just needed a name. So, we simplified it and it now asks only for the name of the person or persons completing the form, which you would type in. We figured why complicate the form when you don’t need to? Here’s a screenshot of the new dialogue and where you would enter the name of the person completing the form (click on the image to enlarge):

My understanding is that there are codes listed [in mndocs] and one must make a choice of code which then inserts relevant language. . . . [The attorney I work for] provided me the following example:

***IF MATT FAM Hearing Final MC = “None”********IF MATT FAM Stipulation Type MC = “NONE”****** IF MATT FAM Final MC! “None”******IF MATT FAM Hearing Final MC = Contested *** Based up on all of the evidence presented the exhibits and review of the entire Court file, this Court, being fully advised makes the following:

Is there some type of cross reference so you know what the codes
language means prior to make a choice and inserting?

The quick and dirty answer is yes. But the user’s question underscores a bit of confusion about what happens behind the scenes. As a document assembly system, mndocs takes the client data you enter, runs through any necessary calculations and manipulations, and places that data into various forms, plus cleans it up so that the final document is close to a finished product.

We do the coding on our end to make it work. What that means is that, as you answer questions in the mndocs interview process, we have already created the programming code that takes those answers, does some fancy calculations if necessary, and puts the answers in the right place. If you don’t provide a necessary answer, however, you likely will see the “code” or variable name that we use to place the answer in the form. Thus, all the junk and asterisks you may occasionally see in an incomplete or blank form.

But, no worries. That’s just part of the process of collecting all your data, and there are a couple of things you can do to determine what information you need to finish a form. The first is one of my top mndocs tips: use the “Document Preview” tab to get a preview of the document before you send it to your word processor. Thus, in the user’s example above, she is missing answers to questions about the final hearing or disposition in a family law matter. If you click on the Document Preview tab in mndocs, it will look like this (click on the image to expand it):

In most cases, if you see something in red, you can simply double click on it and it will take you to the part of the interview that requests that information. Thus, if I double click on ***PARTY DOB DA*** in the above example, another window opens up and asks me to provide the information, like so:

This doesn’t always work, as sometimes we have complex things going on in background, such as determining a judicial district based on a county or determining how many children are involved in a matter. If you click on a variable name in those situations, you may get a pop up box telling you it’s a calculated field and cannot be changed. For that, you’ll need to make sure you answer the necessary questions so that the program can make those calculations (like indicating the matter is in Hennepin County to calculate that it is the Fourth Judicial District).

Finally, don’t like asterisks peppering your draft document? You can change it to brackets, underscores, or nothing at all. In the main HotDocs menu, choose “Tools” then “Options.” Then choose “Document Assembly” and change the way you want unanswered variables displayed, as in (click on image):

• HotDocs Player 10 now supports Microsoft Word 2010;
• we’ve upgraded to the newest HotDocs development version, and the forms we now produce may not be compatible with your older HotDocs Player software. If you have been using HotDocs Player 2008, it’s likely you will get error messages when you try to download and install our latest updates.
• we typically like to wait until the first bug fix of any new update is released. That time is now (or, to be lawyerly and accurate, was July 9).

So, bottom line: it’s time to upgrade to assure that you can continue to use the new forms we produce each month. To upgrade, click on the button below and we’ll whisk you away to the HotDocs web site and its download page for HotDocs Player 10.

Upgrade Now

Make sure you read the installation instructions and then click on the download link. Once downloaded, double click on the file or choose “Open” or “Run” if your computer prompts you with any options. HotDocs Player 10 will then install automatically. Will the upgrade change any of your data? Nope. It won’t touch your answer files, nor does updating to our newest forms (available here for licensed users) modify or delete any of your answer files. So, upgrade now. It’s free, painless, and easy.

• ECB-1081 Transfer on Death Deed (TODD)
• ECB-1082 Transfer on Death Deed by Married Grantor Owner Who Is Sole Spouse in Title
• ECB-1083 Transfer on Death Deed by Married Grantor Owners Owning Property as Joint Tenants
• ECB-10810 Revocation of Transfer on Death Deed

July’s release continues our work to get as many editable conveyancing forms into mndocs. Unlike the uniform conveyancing blanks, which are on practicelaw and are also known as UCBs, the editable forms allow the user to edit any text. Nevertheless, we’ve stripped out any indication that the form is considered “uniform,” ostensibly to avoid the risk of an attorney makes changes to a uniform form and inadvertently submitting it as a uniform form. We take care of any forgetfulness by removing the indication of the form as “uniform.” For more information on the ECBs, check out our Practice Blawg post on the subject. You can also find a larger number of ECBs in Microsoft Word format on practicelaw

We were close to releasing two additional TODD-related forms, one dealing with clearance certificates and the other being the applicable affidavit of identity and survivorship. Those two forms need some additional tweaking before releasing them into the wild, but expect an interim release in early August that will include those two forms and possibly a few more.

Here’s the deal. Our mndocs forms are published using a HotDocs file extension known as “.hdi.” I’ve had no problems downloading those files with Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome, two far superior browsers  when compared to Internet Explorer. But when I or most everyone else tries to download the mndocs.hdi file from our server using Internet Explorer, it automatically changes “mndocs.hdi” to “mndocs.zip.” Not a problem for me, as I’m savvy enough to know what to do. But what about the member or subscriber out there who is not tech savvy and doesn’t even know what an extension is, let alone the differences between .hdi and .zip. That’s when I curse Internet Explorer and vow to lobby against its use by anyone.

Go to the download page (whether a trial or the actual download page) and click on the "Download" link.

Notice that Internet Explorer changes the file name from mndocs.hdi to mndocs.zip. Go ahead and download the file as a .zip file.

Right click on the downloaded "mndocs.zip" file and then choose "Rename."

After renaming the file, it should then appear as a HotDocs file, with the HotDocs icon.