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Matters

What is a Matter?

Think of a Matter as a digital filing cabinet for one legal case or project. Just like you might have a physical folder for "Smith v. Jones" with all related documents inside, a Matter in Recall keeps everything for one case in one place.

Each Matter contains:

  • All your uploaded documents (cases, briefs, motions) for that case
  • Your saved research excerpts (called "Pins")
  • Notes and drafts you write
  • Settings specific to that case (like citation style)

Why use Matters?

  • Stay organized: Don't mix up research from different cases
  • Better search: When you search, you're searching within that case's documents only
  • Custom settings: Each case might need different citation formats or jurisdictions

Good naming helps

Name your Matters clearly — use case numbers, client names, or project descriptions. You'll thank yourself later when you have many cases and need to find the right one quickly.

Creating a Matter

From the Sidebar (Easiest Way)

The sidebar is the panel on the left side of the Recall window. At the bottom, you'll see "Add New Matter."

  1. Click Add New Matter at the bottom of the left sidebar
  2. Type a name for your matter (example: "Smith v. Jones - Contract Dispute")
  3. Press Enter on your keyboard, or click anywhere outside the text box

Your new Matter is created and automatically selected!

From the Toolbar (Alternative)

The toolbar is the strip of buttons at the top of the Recall window.

  1. Click the + button in the toolbar
  2. Select New Matter from the dropdown menu
  3. Enter a name and press Enter

Selecting a Matter

You need to select a Matter before you can work with its documents.

How to select:

  • Click on any matter name in the left sidebar
  • The selected matter is highlighted
  • The main area shows that matter's documents and content

Quick switching:

If you have many Matters, use the matter dropdown in the toolbar for fast access.

Matter Settings

Each Matter can have its own settings, separate from other Matters. This is useful because different cases may need different configurations.

How to access Matter Settings:

  • Option A: Right-click a matter in the sidebar → click Settings
  • Option B: Select a matter, then click the gear icon (⚙) in the toolbar and choose Matter Settings

Citation Style

Choose how legal citations should be formatted for this Matter:

Style Example When to Use
Federal Smith v. Jones, 123 F.3d 456 (9th Cir. 2020) Federal courts, most state courts
California Smith v. Jones (2020) 50 Cal.App.5th 123 California state courts

The citation style affects: - How Recall detects citations in your documents - How citations appear in Table of Authorities - How Clerk formats citations it generates

Jurisdiction

Tell Recall which court system this case is in. Examples:

  • Federal — 9th Circuit
  • California State Court
  • New York State Court

Why this matters: Clerk uses this information to give you more relevant assistance. For example, if you're working on a California state case, Clerk knows to focus on California law.

Practice Area

Optional, but helpful. Select the type of law:

  • Contract Law
  • Family Law
  • Criminal Defense
  • Employment Law
  • Personal Injury
  • (and others)

Why this matters: Helps Clerk understand the context of your work and give better suggestions.

Court Information

Add specific court details if relevant:

  • Court name
  • Case number
  • Judge
  • Any other notes

This information can be useful for document formatting.

Managing Matters

Renaming a Matter

Made a typo? Case name changed? No problem.

  1. Find the matter in the left sidebar
  2. Right-click on the matter name (or Control-click if you don't have a right mouse button)
  3. Click Rename from the menu that appears
  4. Type the new name
  5. Press Enter to save

Duplicating a Matter

Want to create a similar Matter (maybe same client, different case)?

  1. Right-click the matter in the sidebar
  2. Click Duplicate
  3. A copy appears with "(Copy)" added to the name
  4. Rename it to something appropriate

The duplicate includes: - All documents from the original - All settings from the original

Deleting a Matter

Be careful — this cannot be undone

Deleting a Matter permanently removes all its documents, pins, and notes. Make sure you really want to delete it.

  1. Right-click the matter in the sidebar
  2. Click Delete
  3. A confirmation dialog appears — read it carefully
  4. Click Delete to confirm, or Cancel to keep the Matter

Matter Organization Tips

Here are some suggestions from experienced users:

Tip Why It Helps
Name matters clearly Use case numbers, client names, or project descriptions. "Smith Contract 2024" is better than "Case 1"
One matter per case Keep all documents for one legal matter together. This makes search results more relevant.
Use categories within matters For complex cases, organize documents by issue (liability, damages, witnesses) using the category feature
Archive completed matters If you finish a case, you can keep the Matter but note it's complete. This keeps your sidebar focused on active work.

Common Questions About Matters

Can I move a document from one Matter to another?

Currently, you need to remove the document from one Matter and re-add it to the other. Documents aren't shared between Matters.

Can I search across all my Matters at once?

Search is limited to the currently selected Matter. To search different cases, switch to that Matter first.

What happens to my Matter if I reinstall Recall?

Matters are stored on your Mac. As long as you don't delete the data folders, your Matters should still be there after reinstalling. However, it's always good practice to back up important work.

How many Matters can I have?

There's no specific limit. Create as many as you need for your cases.