UTBMS Code L230 — Court-Ordered Disclosures
Preparation of mandatory initial disclosures, scheduling conference statements, and other court-ordered pre-discovery submissions required by federal or local rules.
schedule When This Code Is Used
When the court requires parties to make initial disclosures under Rule 26(a), prepare case management conference statements, or submit other mandatory pre-discovery filings. This is typically early-stage procedural work.
warning Common Billing Violations
Over-billing for standard Rule 26 disclosures that are largely template-driven and should take a few hours to customize
Having partners review and revise routine disclosure statements that experienced associates can handle independently
Billing for 'preparing for' scheduling conferences at rates disproportionate to the routine nature of the proceeding
Charging for multiple rounds of internal review on a disclosure document that has minimal strategic significance
timer Typical Hours
Standard Rule 26 disclosures: 3-10 hours. Case management statements: 2-6 hours. Complex multi-party disclosures: 10-30 hours.
flag Red Flags to Watch For
More than 15 hours billed for standard initial disclosures in a straightforward two-party case
Partner billing significant hours for routine disclosure preparation
L230 entries appearing long after the disclosure deadline has passed
Multiple timekeepers billing for the same disclosure preparation without clear task differentiation
check_circle Best Practices for Review
Establish that initial disclosures are associate-level work with one round of partner review
Set a maximum hour budget for Rule 26 disclosures based on case complexity
Require that scheduling conference preparation be billed at the lowest appropriate rate
Cross-reference disclosure deadlines with billing dates to ensure timeliness
link Related Codes
analytics Key Statistics
Initial disclosure compliance costs have risen 28% since 2015 due to expanding ESI requirements and data volumes
Source: EDRM Survey on Discovery Costs, 2024
Courts impose sanctions for inadequate initial disclosures in approximately 12% of cases where disclosure completeness is challenged
Source: Federal Judicial Center, 2023
Frequently Asked Questions
What does UTBMS code L230 cover for court disclosures? expand_more
UTBMS code L230 covers court-ordered disclosures including initial disclosures under FRCP Rule 26(a), mandatory state-court disclosures, and responses to court-directed discovery orders. These are compulsory disclosures separate from party-initiated discovery requests.
How many hours should court-ordered disclosures take under L230? expand_more
Initial disclosures in straightforward cases typically take 5-15 hours. Complex cases with extensive document production requirements may reach 20-50 hours. Hours should reflect actual disclosure work, not duplicative effort from investigation or discovery already billed elsewhere.
What billing problems arise under UTBMS code L230? expand_more
Common issues include billing L230 hours for work that overlaps with L310 written discovery or L140 document collection, charging senior attorney rates for preparing standard disclosure forms, and excessive hours spent on routine initial disclosures in well-defined matters.