Motion Outline Built on the Authorities You Supply
Builds a motion outline on the authorities and record cites you paste. Each argument point lists your authorities ranked by how directly their pasted text supports it, and no case is supplied from memory.
The Prompt
Variables (8)
| Variable | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| {{client_name}} | Client Name | Greenfield Logistics Inc. |
| {{motion_type}} | Motion Type | Motion for summary judgment |
| {{court}} | Court and Governing Rules | Superior Court of Marin County, local rules pasted below |
| {{position}} | Our Position | The contract bars the claim and no material fact is disputed. |
| {{opposing}} | Anticipated Opposing Arguments | Plaintiff will argue the clause is ambiguous. |
| {{record_facts}} | Record Facts With Cites | 1. Agreement signed Jan. 5, 2025 (Ex. 1, p. 12). 2. Notice of breach sent June 1, 2025 (Ex. 4). |
| {{authorities}} | Authorities | Reyes v. Calder Co., full citation, at p. 92: the exact words you rely on, pasted verbatim. |
| {{rule_text}} | Governing Rule Text | Rule text for the motion, pasted verbatim with its citation. |
Expected Output
Part 1 attorney-only notes (register, conflicts, count and time check, cleared and held-back lists, the Part 2 check, authority ranking by point, declined requests, missing information) and Part 2, the outline with facts, legal standard, ranked authorities and anticipated responses, then a verification list.
Usage Notes
Use after you have gathered the cases and the record. Paste each authority with its citation and the text you rely on, the record facts with cites, and the governing rule text. Failure mode to watch: a case you did not paste, a legal standard stated from memory, or an authority called controlling. Check subsequent history of every authority in a citator. Read the document part line by line before it leaves the office. Not legal advice. The attorney remains responsible for verifying every fact, figure and authority before use.
Double-check before use
- Check each fact in the statement of facts against the cite in your own materials. In testing, a fact supplied without a record cite was once given one.
These are the places where this prompt was seen to slip when tested on sample cases with a small AI model.
Originally featured in: ChatGPT Prompts for Lawyers: The Complete Guide
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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.