Anatomy of a Docket

***If you want to practice, each VTADS server has a "test & training" option so you are not in the production database***

Header of Docket

When you search for a docket, the first "screen" of information that pops up is called the "Header" of the docket. Here you can get a quick overview of the defendant's name, and the attorney's in the case.

In the upper right-hand corner is the "Case ID" number associated with the docket:

This is important because for many things, you will need to search in back end tables by using the Case ID #. Something common you will use the Case ID for is when you are asked to delete a docket. Docket Clerks can accidentally create two dockets under the same Docket number, but the Case ID is unique.

You can also see how many motions are in a case from the header of the docket:

And the status of the case:

"Dis" means the case is closed or "Disposed"

Press Tab + Z to open the list for tables available in the docket:

You will see on the right of the column in the parenthesis, the letter options to open each table. From the header of the docket you can press Tab + any of the letter options there. 

Tab + M for the motion table, Tab + X for post judgement (or VOP), etc. You can also scroll through with arrows keys and open them from here, or type the number associated with the option and pressing Enter.

Event List

Press F2 to open the docket and view the Dispute list (or motion table depending on the docket type) & the Event List:

It is important to note that technically you are three levels "down" into the docket now, the Event list being the 3rd "screen" that is 'active':

If you press F1 you will "go up" a level:

And now you are in the dispute table and can interact with it. If you press F1 again, you will be brought up another level to the header.

Press F2 again to open the Event List. You can scroll through this list using the arrow keys. In the upper right-hand corner of this list is the Event ID of each event you are highlighting:

This ID is unique for each event and is important when you have a ticket to remove an event (like an accidental duplicate entry), this event ID can help clear up which entry the Docket Clerk is referring to. 

The "EVENT" column will show you what type of entry the Docket Clerk made:

Like a "chgdisp" disposes of the charge (also called a dispute or count) that is indicated in the far right "DISPUTE" column:

If you highlight any event and press F2 it will open the details or notes of the event for you:

F1 will always bring you back out of an event.