Research it yourself · Chapter 9
Staying current
Last checked October 15, 2026 · 6 min read · LeaveRights contributors
How to use alerts, watch for rule changes, and re-check your authorities before every filing so you do not rely on stale law.
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Why this matters
A case you verified in month one can be overruled in month four. A rule you read last spring may have been amended. If nobody is watching, you will not know. This chapter sets up a few habits that bring new law to you and make you re-check before you file.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Case alerts
An alert is a saved search that emails you when new results appear. CourtListener offers alerts on opinions, on dockets, and on its RECAP archive of federal filings. Google Scholar also offers alerts through the envelope icon, and it needs an account.
Three alerts cover most cases.
- One alert for new opinions that cite your most important case.
- One for the main legal topic in your claim, limited to the courts that bind you.
- One for any state-law theory, limited to your state's courts.
Free accounts have limits. As of October 2026, CourtListener's membership page lists, for the free tier, five docket alerts (ten more with the RECAP extension), unlimited daily opinion search alerts, and five daily RECAP search alerts. Real-time alerts for opinions need a paid tier. These limits change, so read the alerts help page and the membership page when you sign up.
Set up alerts before you start heavy research on a new matter. Then put a reminder in your project instruction file to read them weekly. An alert is a lead. When one fires, treat the new case like any other and run it through the verification workflow in Chapter 6.
Rule changes
Rules change too. Arbitration providers, courts, and agencies update their rules, and the version that governs you may depend on dates.
- AAA publishes its Employment/Workplace Arbitration Rules on its rules page and keeps older versions in an archive. AAA says amended rules took effect May 1, 2025. Which version applies to your case can depend on when the demand was filed, so read the rules page and your own agreement, and ask the provider if the answer is unclear.
- JAMS lists its current employment rules, effective June 1, 2021 on the date we checked, and keeps a rules archive. As a general matter, the version in effect when the arbitration starts applies unless the parties agreed otherwise. Confirm that in the rules text itself, because your arbitration clause may name a different version.
- Courts and judges issue standing orders and local rules. Check them at the start of your case and again before each filing.
- For statutes and regulations, check the current version on the official site on the day you file. Chapter 2 explains which sites are official.
When a rule changes, note the date and the version in your case folder so you know which text you relied on.
Re-check before each filing
Make this a fixed step before anything leaves your hands.
- List every case in the draft.
- For each one, repeat the treatment check from Chapter 6 and read the newest citing opinions.
- Write the new verdict and the new date in your citation log. Do not overwrite the old verdict. Add a dated line, so you can see how the status changed.
- Reread each statute and rule you cite against the current official text.
- Run the cite audit on the final draft.
- Check that your forum's rules and any order from your arbitrator or judge have not changed since the last filing.
Keep a short note of what you did. If a case slips from GOOD to GOOD-BUT-WATCH, decide whether to cite it more narrowly or drop it.
Slip opinions and fresh decisions
Newly issued opinions can change. A slip opinion may be marked uncorrected and subject to revision before it is published in the official reports, and the final cite and page numbers may differ. If you rely on a very recent decision, reread it before filing and look for the final citation.
Re-check product facts
The tools you use also change. Plans, model names, permission modes, and privacy settings can all change after this guide was checked in October 2026. Before you rely on a product detail in this guide, check the current official page for it.
- Model choices and aliases are described in Claude Code's model configuration page.
- Permission modes, including the default starting mode, are on its permission modes page.
- How long conversations are kept, and whether your data can be used for training, are on its data usage page and in your account's privacy controls.
- What loads at the start of a session, including your project instruction file and automatic memory notes, is on its memory page.
If your own workflow depends on a setting, test it again after an update.
A simple calendar
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Setting up a case | Create alerts, note the rules version, read the judge's or arbitrator's orders |
| Weekly | Read alerts, run new cases through Chapter 6 |
| Before each filing | Re-check treatment, statutes, rules, and orders. Run the cite audit |
| After an order or rule change | Update your notes and recheck any affected draft |
Next: Chapter 10, limits, privacy, and ethics.
Sources
LeaveRights is a free educational tool and does not provide legal advice. No account needed, and the letters you write stay on your device. Information provided is for general guidance only. Consult a qualified employment attorney for advice specific to your situation.