Skip to main content
Back to Specifications
PDF Markdown

ADAC-Legal 0.9.0-draft.1 — Field Vocabulary Guide (Practitioner Edition)

Audience: Attorneys, legal operations teams, litigation support professionals, records and compliance staff
Purpose: Explain the base ADAC-Legal vocabulary in professional legal terms without requiring schema knowledge

1. What this guide is for

This document is the practitioner-facing guide to the base ADAC-Legal vocabulary.

It is intended to help legal professionals answer practical questions such as:

  • What does a base ADAC-Legal term mean in practice?
  • When should a neutral base term be used?
  • When should a jurisdiction-specific guide be consulted instead?

This guide is explanatory. The profile specifications remain authoritative.

↑ Back to Top

2. How to use this guide

  1. Start here for base legal vocabulary.
  2. If the matter is jurisdiction-specific, then consult the relevant jurisdiction guide:
    • us
    • us-la
    • us-pr
    • uk
    • uk-sct
    • uk-nir
    • de
    • eu
  3. Prefer the most specific term that accurately reflects the governing legal concept.

Practical rule

  • Use a base term when it remains accurate across jurisdictions.
  • Use a jurisdiction-specific term when local doctrine, procedure, or document form materially affects meaning.
↑ Back to Top
↑ Back to Top

4.1 Document Types (classification.documentType)

Term Meaning in Practice Use When Avoid / Notes
exhibit Document formally introduced as evidence. A document is marked or treated as an evidentiary exhibit. In bundle-based systems, a bundle reference may also be needed.
courtFiling Document filed with a court or tribunal. The filing is procedural or generic and no more specific type is needed. Prefer a more specific local term if one exists.
statementOfCase Pleading defining disputed issues. A neutral, cross-jurisdiction pleading label is needed. Local pleading terms may be more precise.
application Motion or application requesting an order or direction. A party is asking the tribunal or court to act. Local procedure may use more specific names.
judicialOrder Order, judgment, or ruling issued by the tribunal. A neutral label for a court-issued decision is sufficient. Some jurisdictions distinguish order/judgment forms more sharply.
correspondence Correspondence between parties, counsel, or tribunal. The document is a letter or equivalent communication. Not for formal pleadings or structured filings.
contract Contract, agreement, or deed. The document’s core legal function is contractual. Some civil-law or notarial systems use more precise local forms.
testament Will or testamentary instrument. A neutral estate/planning label is sufficient. Louisiana and Puerto Rico often use more specific testament forms.
witnessStatement Written witness statement or sworn affidavit. A witness’s evidence is recorded in writing. Some jurisdictions prefer more specific procedural labels.
expertReport Expert witness report or opinion. Expert analysis is submitted in support of the matter. Germany distinguishes court-appointed and party-retained expert opinions.
transcript Transcript of oral proceedings. Hearings, examinations, or oral argument have been transcribed. Not for affidavits or witness statements.
writtenSubmissions Written submissions, skeleton arguments, or briefs. The filing is legal argument rather than evidence. Some jurisdictions use more specific local forms.
witnessSummons Summons or subpoena compelling testimony or document production. A compulsory process document is issued to a witness or document holder. Terminology varies significantly by jurisdiction.
notarialAct Instrument executed before a notary. A neutral civil-law notarial category is needed. Prefer local forms where they matter doctrinally.
regulatoryFiling Filing to a regulatory body. The matter is before an administrative or supervisory authority. EU institutional proceedings may justify EU-specific terms.
internalMemo Internal memorandum or working document. The document is internal and not externally filed. May overlap with privilege questions depending on content.

4.2 Confidentiality Levels (classification.confidentialityLevel)

Term Meaning in Practice Use When Avoid / Notes
public Public record with no access restriction. The material may be openly shared. Do not use if any protective, statutory, or contractual restriction applies.
confidential Restricted by order, agreement, or professional obligation. The document is restricted but not sealed or privileged. Some jurisdictions provide more specific confidentiality tiers.
legallyPrivileged Withheld because the content is privileged. Privilege is the core reason for restricted access. More precise privilege categories should be recorded where available.
sealed Sealed by tribunal order. Access is restricted by formal court sealing. Distinct from ordinary confidentiality.
restricted Restricted by law, regulation, or contract. Access is limited but no more precise label applies. Prefer a more specific label when one exists.

4.3 Matter Types (matterReference.matterType)

Term Meaning in Practice Use When
litigation Contentious civil or commercial court matter. Ordinary court litigation.
arbitration Arbitral proceeding. The matter is before an arbitral tribunal.
mediation Mediation or ADR matter. The matter is being mediated rather than adjudicated.
transaction Transactional engagement. The matter concerns a transaction rather than a dispute.
regulatory Supervisory or regulatory matter. The matter is before a regulator.
succession Estate or probate matter. A cross-jurisdiction inheritance/estate label is sufficient.
familyLaw Family law matter. The dispute concerns family law.
criminal Criminal prosecution or defense. The matter is criminal in nature.
immigration Immigration or asylum matter. The matter concerns immigration status or relief.
realProperty Land or real-property matter. Property title, transfer, or land dispute.
intellectualProperty Intellectual-property matter. Patent, trademark, copyright, or related issues.
insolvency Insolvency or restructuring matter. A generic insolvency label is adequate.
publicLaw Constitutional or administrative law matter. Public-authority challenge or public-law proceeding.
employment Employment or labor matter. Employment dispute or labor law matter.
investigation Internal or regulatory investigation. The matter centers on investigative work.
advisory Non-contentious advisory engagement. The engagement is legal advice without a live dispute or closing.

4.4 Custody Actions (custodyChain[].action)

Term Meaning in Practice
received Received from an outside source.
transferred Passed to another custodian.
copied Copied or duplicated.
scanned Converted from physical to digital.
stored Placed into storage.
retrieved Retrieved from storage.
sealed Sealed by court order.
produced Produced or disclosed.
destroyed Destroyed under policy or order.
exported Exported from a system.

4.5 Privilege Categories (privilegeLog[].claim, legal:privilege.claim)

Term Meaning in Practice Use When Avoid / Notes
legalProfessionalPrivilege Neutral legal privilege label. The exact local privilege doctrine is not being distinguished. Prefer local doctrine names where available.
litigationPrivilege Privilege for litigation-prepared materials. The basis is litigation preparation. UK and US have more specific doctrine labels.
commonInterestPrivilege Shared privilege among aligned legal interests. Multiple parties share privileged material in aligned interests. Local doctrine may be more precise.
withoutPrejudice Settlement communication protection. A neutral settlement-protection label is sufficient. UK-specific settlement doctrine is more precise.
publicInterestImmunity Public-interest withholding. State/public interest prevents disclosure. Some jurisdictions define more specific variants.
journalisticPrivilege Source-protection privilege. Journalist/source protection is the basis. —

4.6 Hold Types (holdNotices[].holdType)

Term Meaning in Practice
litigation Hold for pending or anticipated litigation.
regulatory Hold for regulatory inquiry.
audit Hold for audit activity.
governmentInvestigation Hold for government investigation.
contractual Hold required by contract.
statutory Hold required by statute or regulation.

4.7 Redaction Reasons (legal:redaction.reason)

Term Meaning in Practice
personalData Personal data / PII redaction.
legallyPrivileged Privileged legal content redaction.
commerciallyConfidential Commercial confidentiality redaction.
tradeSecret Trade secret redaction.
tribunalOrder Redaction required by tribunal order.
protectedIdentity Redaction to protect identity.
thirdPartyConfidential Redaction for third-party confidential information.
nationalSecurity Redaction for national security concerns.
regulatoryRestriction Redaction required by regulatory restriction.
↑ Back to Top

5. Final drafting recommendations for practitioners

  1. Use the most specific accurate term available.
  2. Preserve local legal terminology where it materially affects meaning.
  3. Use base terms when the matter is cross-jurisdictional or the local distinction does not matter.
  4. When in doubt, classify first by what the document legally is, then by which jurisdiction’s doctrine governs it.
↑ Back to Top
Back to Specifications