Essential Features of Reminder/Bring Forward Systems

• easily accessible by all staff members who need to use the system;
• maintained by a single individual; and
• reviewed each morning, and followed up on at the end of each day.

• be centralized (electronic, hard copies, or both);
• provide for a notation of the bring forward date in a designated portion of the file cover;
• be integrated with the file-opening sheet procedure;
• allow entering multiple dates and notations on one file;
• ensure all reminder dates for the reminder /bring forward system are noted in your diary (electronic, hard copy, or both);
• explain why the file is being brought forward;
• provide back-up reminders against which the reminder can be checked;
• ensure every file has at least one bring forward notation on it.  You should ensure that each of your active files is brought forward at least once a month to ensure nothing is overlooked;
• allow for highlighting limitation periods in a special manner in your reminder system (ensure you are calculating time in accordance with the governing rules of court); and
• be a safeguard to alert you to files where no activity has occurred for a certain period of time.