Document checklists & filing plans WIP

Document checklists give self-represented filers clear, plain-language guidance about what documents are required for their specific case type. Checklists are informative guides and do not block a filer from proceeding.

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1. Defining case type matching & guidance

Checklists match against the human-readable names returned by the court e-filing system (never hardcoded numeric codes).

# efile_app/efile/static/config/states/illinois.yaml

case_types:
  name_change:
    extends: "base_case_types.name_change"

    # Court names returned by the EFSP
    matches:
      names:
        - "Name Change" # Cook County County Division
        - "Change of Name" # Statewide Circuit Courts
      aliases:
        - "Petition - Change of Name"

    # Plain-language explanation for filers
    about:
      summary: >-
        A name change asks a judge to make your new name official. Most of the
        work is paperwork: a request that says who you are and what you want to
        be called, notice in a newspaper so the change is public, and an order
        for the judge to sign.
      learn_more_url: "https://www.illinoislegalaid.org/legal-information/changing-your-name"
      learn_more_label: "Changing your name in Illinois (Illinois Legal Aid Online)"

    documents:
      petition:
        label: "Request for name change"
        requirement: always
        role: lead
        description: "Your name now, the name you want, and how long you have lived in Illinois."
        filing_type_names:
          - "Petition for Name Change"
          - "Petition"
          - "Complaint"

      proposed_order:
        label: "Proposed order for the judge to sign"
        requirement: always
        filing_type_names:
          - "Proposed Order"
          - "Order"
          - "Other Document Not Listed"

      publication_notice:
        label: "Proof of newspaper publication"
        requirement: usually
        description: "Notice published in a local newspaper once a week for three consecutive weeks."
        filing_type_names:
          - "Certificate of Publication"
          - "Affidavit of Publication"

---

2. Requirement levels

Checklist items are grouped into three clear tiers:

Requirement level	Displayed as	Meaning
always	Always needed	Mandatory document required to open or respond to the matter.
usually	Usually needed	Standard documents expected in the majority of cases of this type.
sometimes	Sometimes needed	Conditional documents required only when specific factual conditions apply.

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3. Two-sided cases & role-based checklists

In cases with two opposing sides (such as landlord/tenant evictions or domestic relations), the landlord and tenant need completely different documents and instructions.

Configure filer_roles to create role-tailored checklists:

case_types:
  eviction:
    filer_roles:
      landlord:
        label: "The Landlord (or property owner/agent)"
        description: "You are asking the court to regain possession of the property."
        party_type_keywords: ["plaintiff", "landlord"]
      tenant:
        label: "The Tenant (or occupant)"
        description: "You are defending an eviction or responding to court notice."
        party_type_keywords: ["defendant", "tenant"]

    documents:
      complaint:
        label: "Eviction Complaint"
        requirement: always
        role: lead
        for_roles: ["landlord"] # Only shown to landlords

      appearance:
        label: "Appearance and Answer"
        requirement: always
        for_roles: ["tenant"] # Only shown to tenants

      proof_of_service:
        label: "Proof of Service"
        requirement: usually
        by_role:
          landlord:
            label: "Proof that the tenant was served with court papers"
            description: "Filed by the sheriff or special process server."
          tenant:
            label: "Proof that you sent a copy of your answer to the landlord"
            requirement: always