The timeline of events is a tool used in legal cases to help establish facts and dates. A timeline helps explain how the events unfolded and might be used as an alternative to other forms of evidence, such as witness statements or photographs.
The legal timeline of events
The legal timeline of events lists all the critical events in a dispute. It helps lawyers and judges understand who did what, when they did it, and how it affected everything else that happened in the case.
The timeline can help determine whether someone acted reasonably or unreasonably (i.e., if they were negligent). For example:
- A woman broke her ankle while running downstairs at work because there hadn’t been enough warning signs posted about them; she sued her employer for failing to provide proper safety measures on stairs that were obviously dangerous. The judge looked at the timeline (which said that no one had complained about those specific stairs before) and found that yes, this was an accident but also maybe could have been prevented if there had been some warning sign or barrier put up around them earlier than this point in time (so far as we know).
Why is a timeline used?
- Why is a timeline used?
A timeline shows what happened when and in what order, making it easier to see who did what, when and why. You can also use timelines in testimony to help the judge understand your story.
- How does a timeline help me?
A good timeline gives you an overview of the facts that support or contradict both sides of an issue. It helps you remember important dates and events so you don’t have to keep track of all that information in your head or on paper during a trial.
Things to consider when creating a timeline
As you build your timeline, it’s important to consider who was involved, what happened and where it happened.
- Who is involved? The more people you have helping you create the timeline, the better. You want all of their points of view represented in order to create a comprehensive account that everyone can agree with.
- What happened? There are many ways to phrase this question: “What events led up to the dispute?” or “What are some things that could have been done differently?” For example: The lawyers were arguing over whether or not my client should pay for damages incurred during construction of his home; then they started talking about how we would proceed if there were no resolution between them. They stopped talking after 15 minutes when one lawyer left for lunch (without offering me anything).
A comprehensive timeline can help your case.
A timeline is a visual representation of events that occur in dispute cases. When creating a timeline, you should consider the following:
- What information needs to be included?
- How will these events be organized?
- Will the order of the events be chronological or not?
A timeline can be an effective tool in a dispute case. It can help you remember important dates and events, give you an overview of the other party’s actions and show how they relate to each other. By creating a timeline of events, you can ensure that all relevant information is included in your claim or defence.
