Claude Prompt: Pending Motion Risk Assessment From the Briefs and Record
Assesses a pending motion argument by argument from the briefs, record excerpts and authorities you paste. Each cited case is checked against pasted text, and probabilities and values appear only as you supply them.
The Prompt
Variables (8)
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| {{client_name}} | Client Name | Northgate Medical Group |
| {{client_role}} | Client Role | responding party |
| {{court}} | Court and Governing Rules | Superior Court, Alameda County; rules pasted within the motion papers |
| {{motion}} | Motion | Full text of the motion with page numbers. |
| {{other_briefs}} | Opposition or Reply Briefs | Opposition filed May 12, 2026, full text. |
| {{record}} | Record Excerpts With Cites | Smith Dep. 45:3-8: "I never received the notice." |
| {{authorities}} | Authorities Text | Text of the cases you hold, each with its citation. |
| {{assessments}} | Attorney Probabilities and Values | Partner estimate on the first argument: 40 percent. No value assigned. |
Expected Output
A reasoning pass in analysis tags, then an attorney-only assessment: argument register, conflicts with the record, count and time check, cited-authority status, a risk table with your own probabilities and values or "not supplied", response points from supplied material, declined requests, missing information and a verification list.
Usage Notes
Use when a motion is pending and you need a structured read of it. Paste the motion, the other briefs, the record excerpts it cites, the authorities text and any probabilities or values you hold. Failure mode to watch: a score, settlement range or outcome prediction that you did not supply, or a case treated as supporting a point without its pasted text. Check subsequent history of every authority in a citator. Not legal advice. The attorney remains responsible for verifying every fact, figure and authority before use.
Originally featured in: Claude AI for Lawyers: Best Prompts, Use Cases & Tips (2026)
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* These prompts are drafting and analysis aids for licensed attorneys. They are not legal advice and do not replace professional judgment. AI output can contain errors, including invented citations and incorrect deadlines: verify every fact, figure, authority and deadline against primary sources before relying on it. Rules vary by jurisdiction, and you remain responsible for the final work product.