FAQ

Frequently Asked Question. Find the answers for the most common questions about using the Brief-Lynx™ Services.

What is an E-Brief?

An electronic brief is the hyperlinked, electronic version of a court submitted brief. Specifically, it includes: 1. An electronically filed brief, usually in PDF format, 2. Hyperlinks that open attachments/exhibits to page and line locations, and 3. An easy to use navigation – for Brief-Lynx that includes an autorun and “Return” buttons on each page of each exhibit

What is required to use Brief-Lynx?

Basically a web browser is all you need. We do recommend Firefox but Internet Explorer and Safari are acceptable.
NOTE: For technically advanced options in Internet Explorer it is required that Active Scripting is Enabled and Cookies are Accepted. These are common/default settings for Medium-High Security levels.

What types of documents can I use?

Brief: Word and PDF files are needed for the upload. The application will also accept .TXT file formats – essentially needs to be a text based format. We do not accept WordPerfect file format.

Exhibits/Attachments: Image based files including .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt, .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tif, .tiff, .bmp, .png, .zip (Recommended for multiple files).

Placeholder: We have also added a Placeholder file area. This is primarily used for video and audio file formats. But any other, non-universal file format could be added. CAUTION: If you add a link to a non standard file format the viewer may not be able to open that file type.

What courts accept E-Briefs?

This is constantly changing, but in general we have not encountered a court that does NOT accept an E-Brief.

Many Federal courts have specific rules and guidelines please visit your courts website for specifics.
Many state and local courts do not have rules, but do accept.

Is the data secured?

Yes! We use a two pronged security system. First, the login is Thawte certified 128 bit encrypted to ensure privacy and security for access. Second, the web site is continuously tested by Trust-Guard for hackers to ensure an additional layer of protection, including virus protection.

Can I link to another E-Brief created on your system?

Yes. When an E-Brief is completed, simply go to the Brief Setup Tab and Lock the E-Brief. When you login you will have access to the completed E-Brief and be able to link to that E-Brief in the newly created E-Brief (this is sometimes referred to as a link within a link)

How do I put multiple E-Briefs on one CD/DVD?

If you created all the E-Briefs with our system, simply download the E-Briefs to one central folder. We will create an autorun for FREE (All we need is the proper folder name and brief/folder names). Contact Support at: lbrink@brief-lynx.com

How does someone review and comment on an E-Brief you created on Brief-Lynx?

There are two ways to do this: 1. The Creator can make you a reviewer, which allows you to view the brief online and make comments using sticky notes on each page; or 2. Download the package, review and email the changes to the Creator. After the necessary changes have been made all you have to do is run our Package Update utility and your package is updated automatically on your system!

How long does an E-Brief take to make?

There are a lot of factors and dependencies that goes into this; generally a standard Brief-Lynx E-Brief takes 30 seconds per link. So, for example, a 350 link E-Brief will take about 3 hours. {In comparison, an Adobe Acrobat user will take about 2-5 minutes per link. So, 350 links = ~ 15 hours.}

What is the difference between efiling and an E-Brief?

Electronic filing or efiling is simply sending the electronic version of a court document (usually a brief) via email or a centralized system (e.g. CM/ECF). The E-Brief uses the court filing and then adds hyperlinks that open exhibits/attachments. A good resource is the ABA Legal Technology Resource Center.