From Caseprep
The Open File
An open file is a case still coming together, the stage where a gap can still be closed. These are articles written for that stage: clearer case writing and safer AI habits, plain-English guides to how DUI evidence and process work on the Grand Strand, and holiday advice for the families of people whose work never stops.
All 30 articles
Read what the file still needs
The Letters Kids Keep: Why Written Words Matter More in a Digital World
Long after toys are outgrown, children keep letters. Why handwritten and personalized letters carry such weight, and how families can create keepsakes that last.
Defense ReviewWhy Every Case File Has Two Sides: Discovery, Defense Review and Fairness
The same evidence is read by prosecutors and defense attorneys for different purposes. Why discovery and thorough defense review make the justice system work better for everyone.
TrainingCreating Training Materials for New Case Staff: Onboarding That Actually Sticks
New investigators, analysts and paralegals learn fastest with clear guides, realistic practice and good feedback. How to build training materials that work.
TraditionsFamily Holiday Traditions That Survive a Busy Season
When work is demanding and time is short, the best traditions are simple, flexible and repeatable. Ideas for traditions that busy families can actually keep.
Choosing CounselQuestions to Ask When Choosing a DUI Lawyer
Choosing a lawyer after a DUI arrest is a big decision made under stress. Practical questions to ask in a consultation about experience, approach, communication and fees.
FundingWriting Grant Proposals for Justice Technology: A Practical Guide for Agencies
Many agencies fund new technology through grants. How to define the need, build a credible plan and write a proposal reviewers can say yes to.
WellbeingHoliday Stress and Burnout for Legal and Investigative Professionals
Year-end deadlines, heavy caseloads and emotionally difficult work collide with family obligations. Practical ways legal and investigative professionals can protect their wellbeing this season.
VisitorsA DUI on the Grand Strand When You Live Somewhere Else: What Visitors Should Know
Millions visit Myrtle Beach every year. If a trip ends with a DUI arrest, out-of-state drivers face court dates, license questions and distance. A general guide.
ResearchAI as a Legal Research Starting Point, Not the Finish Line
AI can help frame research questions and suggest search terms. It cannot replace authoritative sources. How to use it responsibly in legal research.
SafetyHoliday Scams Targeting Families: How They Work and How to Avoid Them
Fake delivery notices, counterfeit toy shops, charity fraud and gift card schemes spike every December. How common holiday scams work and simple habits that protect families.
RecordsPreserving Your Own Records After an Arrest: What to Write Down and Keep
Memories fade and footage is overwritten. A practical guide to the notes, documents and potential evidence a person can preserve after a DUI arrest to help their lawyer.
VerificationTrust, Then Verify: Checking AI Output for Fabrications, Gaps and Bias
AI tools can invent citations, misstate facts and sound confident while doing it. A practical verification routine for anyone using AI in legal or case work.
SafetyKeeping Kids Safe With New Holiday Devices: A Setup Guide for Parents
Tablets, phones, consoles and smart toys are popular gifts. Practical steps to set up parental controls, privacy settings and family rules before the wrapping comes off.
LicenseLicense Suspension Hearings After a DUI: Why the Administrative Case Moves Faster
A DUI arrest can start two separate cases: the criminal charge and an administrative license suspension. How the administrative side works and why its deadline comes first.
InterviewsPreparing Interview Question Outlines: Covering What the File Still Needs
Good interviews start with knowing what the case is missing. How to build structured interview outlines and use AI to brainstorm categories safely.
GivingHoliday Giving for Kids in Foster Care: Thoughtful Ways to Help
The holidays can be hard for children in foster care. How volunteers, court advocates and community members can help in ways that respect children’s dignity and privacy.
Legal ProcessWhat Happens After a DUI Arrest in South Carolina: The Process, Step by Step
Booking, bond, suspension notices, court dates, discovery and resolution. A general roadmap of the DUI process in South Carolina so the next steps feel less unknown.
CommunicationBriefing a Supervisor in Five Minutes: Structuring Case Updates That Get Decisions Made
Supervisors need the right information fast. How to structure verbal and written case briefings, and how AI can help you practice and build templates.
FamilyHelping Kids Cope When a Parent Works on the Holidays
Disappointment is natural when a parent misses Christmas morning. How to acknowledge kids’ feelings, keep them connected and turn an unusual holiday into a family story.
Chemical TestsBreath Tests and Implied Consent in South Carolina: A Plain-Language Overview
What implied consent generally means in South Carolina, how evidentiary breath tests work, what records exist behind a breath result and why refusal has separate consequences.
WritingClearer Report Writing for Case Teams: Plain Language That Holds Up Under Scrutiny
Reports are read by supervisors, attorneys, judges and juries. How to write clearly, precisely and fairly, and where AI can help with style.
CommunityPolice Toy Drives and Shop-With-an-Officer Programs: How Agencies Help Kids at the Holidays
Across the country, agencies run toy drives and holiday shopping events for kids. How these programs work, how families can get involved and how to help.
Field TestsField Sobriety Tests Explained: The Three Standardized Tests and What Can Affect Them
Horizontal gaze nystagmus, walk-and-turn and one-leg stand: how the standardized field sobriety tests work, what officers look for and the conditions that can skew results.
TimelinesBuilding Case Timelines: How AI Can Help You Design the Process (Without Touching the Evidence)
Timelines win and lose cases. How to design a reliable timeline workflow, test it on fictional data and avoid the traps that creep into chronologies.
FamilyExplaining a Parent’s Investigator or First-Responder Job to Kids
Children of officers, investigators, dispatchers and court staff often have questions about what their parent does. Age-appropriate ways to talk about the work without frightening them.
Video EvidenceBody Camera and Dash Camera Footage in DUI Cases: What Video Can and Cannot Show
Video often carries the most weight in a DUI file. How dash and body camera footage is created, what it reveals, where it falls short and why it should be requested early.
WritingBetter Prompts for Case Summary Templates: Structure First, Facts Later
Use AI to design the structure of a great case summary with fictional data, then fill it in inside approved systems. A step-by-step approach.
FamilyHolidays for Shift-Working Families: Making the Magic Fit Around the Schedule
Investigators, officers, dispatchers, nurses and court staff often work when everyone else celebrates. Practical ways shift-working families can build holidays that still feel full.
DUI EvidenceHow Evidence Is Built in a DUI Case, From the Traffic Stop to the Courtroom
A DUI file is assembled piece by piece: the reason for the stop, observations, field tests, chemical tests and video. A plain-language look at how each piece fits.
Data HandlingWhat Not to Paste Into an AI Tool: Confidentiality Rules for Case Teams
AI assistants can save investigators and attorneys hours. They can also leak confidential case material. A practical guide to drawing the line.
Who writes here
Meet the writers
Graham Whitlock
Case writing and AI workflow writer
Graham writes about the writing side of case work: summaries, timelines, reports, briefings, interview outlines and how to use AI tools for all of it without putting confidential material at risk. He believes a good prompt is just a well-organized thought.
Calvin Ashby
Legal process and evidence writer
Calvin explains how a DUI case is actually built and reviewed: the stop, field sobriety tests, breath tests, video, license hearings and the paperwork in between. He writes for the person holding the ticket who wants to understand what happens next.
Nora Bellamy
Family and holidays writer
Nora writes for the families of people whose work does not stop for the holidays: investigators, officers, dispatchers, nurses and court staff. She covers shift-work celebrations, talking to kids about a parent’s job, giving back and the small traditions that hold a busy year together.