CaseDesk vs DocketBird

CaseDesk is legal practice management software for work spanning intake through post-judgment, with tools for docketing, deadlines, conflicts, evidence, documents, research, drafting, and billing. It lists purpose-built matter fields and tools for 106 practice areas. Its deadline engine calculates jurisdiction-specific dates, accounts for court days and holidays, and cites the rule behind each date. A 13,400-entry legal reference library and live CourtListener search are built in. Gmail and Outlook messages go to a review queue so users decide whether to file them to a matter. Case data is stored locally in a SQLCipher-encrypted database by default, with optional field- and file-level encryption. Optional Cloud Sync stores encrypted ciphertext, though document files remain on users’ computers. The app can work offline; internet connections are used for enabled integrations and version checks. The beta runs free for 90 days per machine, followed by two weeks of read-only access. Pro costs $29 a month or $290 a year per attorney.

DocketBird is a web-based repository and monitoring service for federal and state court cases and documents. It connects to all U.S. federal district, bankruptcy, and appeals courts, as well as thousands of state courts. AutoCalendar AI extracts deadlines and events from filed documents and adds them to case calendars. Calendars can sync by ICS link with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, Clio, BusyCal, and virtually any calendaring app. Document integrations include iManage, NetDocs, Clio, Dropbox, Box, Google Drive, Litify, and Filevine. Its Webhook API can send documents to custom systems in real time when documents are filed or downloaded. Each plan includes 20 active cases per seat; a case counts as active if it has had a filing in the previous 60 days. Additional active cases cost $0.75 each. DocketBird shares docket-check costs among users and makes documents downloaded by one user freely available to others. Attorneys of record can generally receive federal filings without charge when their court account is integrated. Law-school, university, and public libraries can use it free if they link prominently to DocketBird.