Overview

CaseDesk is a desktop-first legal practice system for licensed attorneys who want matter work, deadlines, research and billing together. Its defining strength is control over case data: it works offline and stores case data locally by default. The trade-off is a narrower fit for firms that need browser-based access across a team or conventional phone apps.

It spans work from intake through post-judgment, with tools for docketing, conflicts, evidence, documents, research, drafting and billing. Matter fields and tools tailored to 106 practice areas give it broader reach than a docketing-only product, though that breadth is most useful to attorneys who will use several parts of the system.

For a docketing-focused comparison, see Legal Docketing Software; for broader practice systems, see Legal Practice Management Software.

Key features

Deadlines, docketing and research

The deadline engine calculates jurisdiction-specific dates, accounting for court days and holidays, and cites the governing rule for each result. National rules coverage, docket monitoring, rules-based dates and filing alerts make it relevant to deadline-conscious practices. Rule citations help attorneys verify the basis for a date rather than treating it as an unexplained calendar entry.

A 13,400-entry legal reference library and live CourtListener search bring research into the same product. Those resources complement the matter tools, but readers seeking a dedicated research platform should compare the scope they need before choosing an all-in-one system.

Email, integrations and AI

Gmail and Outlook messages arrive in a review queue, where users choose whether to file each message to a matter. That review step gives attorneys control over what enters a case file instead of automatically attaching every synced message. Listed integrations also include Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Anthropic, OpenAI, Stripe, QuickBooks Online, Twilio, Box, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, CourtListener and PACER RSS.

Users can run a local AI model or connect their own Anthropic or OpenAI key; the maker says local-model processing stays on the user's machine. This offers a choice for attorneys concerned about where processing happens, while use of external providers requires bringing a provider key.

Data control and access

Case data is stored by default in a SQLCipher-encrypted local database, with optional field-level and file-level encryption. Optional Cloud Sync stores encrypted ciphertext on the maker's infrastructure, which the maker says it cannot decrypt; document files currently remain on users' computers. This local-first approach suits attorneys who prefer direct custody of case data, but it is not the same as fully cloud-hosted document access.

CaseDesk can hash and sign documents and anchor SHA-256 fingerprints to Bitcoin through OpenTimestamps. The privacy policy says only the fingerprint is sent to public calendar servers, a useful integrity check that does not publish the document itself.

The app works offline without internet access; connections occur for enabled integrations and version checks. The phone companion runs in a phone browser and reads end-to-end-encrypted Cloud Sync. iPhone and Android store apps are under review, so readers who require a native mobile app should account for that distinction.

Pricing

The free beta costs $0.00 USD and runs for 90 days from first launch on a machine, followed by two weeks of read-only access for exporting data. No credit card is required and no beta end date is stated. That makes it useful for trying the software, but it is not an ongoing free plan: after the grace period, continued use requires a paid plan.

CaseDesk Pro Monthly costs $29.00 USD per month, cancel any time, with a new key emailed each month. It is per attorney, and one licence covers that lawyer's own installations. It removes beta expiry and includes optional end-to-end-encrypted Cloud Sync and priority support, making it the flexible choice for an individual attorney who does not want an annual commitment.

CaseDesk Pro Annual costs $290.00 USD per year, billed annually with automatic renewal; the maker describes this as two months free. It has the same per-attorney licence, own-installations coverage, optional encrypted Cloud Sync and priority support as monthly Pro. Annual is the lower-cost option for a lawyer expecting to use CaseDesk for a full year, while its automatic renewal is a term to track.

Both paid plans are licensed per attorney rather than as a firm-wide multi-seat bundle. The listed annual price is $290.00 USD per year; firms needing multiple attorney licences should factor in the per-attorney basis.

Platforms

CaseDesk lists Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. The desktop app's offline operation and local database are central to its approach. Phone access is through a browser-based companion that reads Cloud Sync, rather than a native phone app, so mobile use depends on enabling sync.

Who it's for

CaseDesk is aimed at licensed attorneys who want a broad practice tool with jurisdiction-aware deadlines, matter-specific legal work and local data storage. A solo lawyer or small practice comfortable with per-attorney licensing may benefit most from its mix of offline operation, research and practice-management functions.

It is less suitable for buyers who need a fully cloud-hosted document repository, native phone apps today, or a shared firm licence covering multiple attorneys. Support comes from the practicing-attorney builder, with replies potentially taking a business day; priority support is included with Pro.

Pros and cons

Rule-cited deadline calculations: Court-day and holiday handling plus governing-rule citations make computed dates easier to check.
Local-first and offline: Encrypted local case storage and offline operation suit attorneys who want files on their own computers.
Broad legal workflow: Matter management, a legal library, CourtListener search, email review and billing are combined for practices that want fewer separate tools.
Paid licensing is per attorney: Each lawyer needs a licence, so a multi-attorney firm should calculate the total rather than assume a firm-wide fee.
Phone access depends on sync: The companion is browser-based, and native store apps are still under review.
Free access expires: Beta use ends after 90 days on each machine, with only a two-week read-only export period afterward.

Alternatives

Choose LitDocket if you want a freemium docketing option with API, self-hosted and web platforms; its free tier becomes read-only after the 14-day trial, and Solo costs $49.00 USD per month for up to 25 active cases. Choose CourtDrive if browser and phone access matter more: it lists Android, iOS, API and web platforms, with a Basic plan at $35.00 USD per month for a firm licence covering up to three users and 250 included uploads.

AcclaimIP is an alternative for buyers considering annual, per-seat licensing with custom pricing. DocketBird offers a free library-access plan for law-school, university and public libraries and a $9.99 USD per month Individual plan for daily tracking of one case. Alt Legal is another alternative.

AnchorLex may suit a narrower docketing need: its free plan covers five court orders per month and one sync calendar, while Boutique costs $49.00 USD per month. Docket Alarm has a free tier capped at five actions per week across searches, docket views and document views, excluding government-purchased documents such as PACER filings. Deadlines.com is another alternative.

Verdict

CaseDesk is a strong fit for licensed attorneys who want practice management and deadline work in one offline-capable, local-first desktop product. Its rule-cited dates, broad legal workflow and control over case data are compelling reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if your priority is native mobile apps, a cloud-hosted document system or firm-wide multi-attorney pricing.

	CaseDesk	Hoowla
Free plan	Yes	No
Paid from	$24.17/mo	£14.58/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows	Web
Free plan	No
Rules coverage	national
Docket monitoring	Yes
Rules-based dates	Yes
Filing alerts	Yes
Client intake		Yes
Client portal		Yes
Document automation		Yes
Time tracking		Yes
Billing and payments		Yes
Trust accounting		Yes
Mobile apps		No

CaseDesk vs Hoowla

CaseDesk

Hoowla