It was just last week that I discussed updates to Cliff Maier's legal reference apps such as FRCP (Federal Rules of Civil Procedure) and FRAP (Federal Rules of Appellate Procedure), but now they have been updated again. When comparing his apps to similar offerings from The Law Pod, I pointed out that two advantages of The Law Pod apps over Cliff's apps were that (1) The Law Pod apps list the rules by number (instead of Title) on the home screen, making it easier to jump to a specific rule if you already know the number and (2) The Law Pod apps list the entire rule on one screen, whereas in Cliff's apps you had to read each subsection on its own screen.
Cliff is a long-time reader of iPhone J.D. In fact, Cliff often answers questions about his apps in the Comments to posts -- which I mention because I know that many of the regular readers of this site read it in an RSS reader and might not normally see the Comments. Cliff is now adding updates to many of his apps to address both of these issues, making his already useful apps even more functional.
Bookmarks. The first new feature is bookmarks. If you are like me, your paper copy of your rules has pages that are dog-eared or affixed with Post-It Flags to bookmark the rules that you turn to time and time again. Cliff is now adding a bookmarks feature to his apps. For example, let's say that you frequently turn to FRAP 28 when you are drafting an appeal brief. Notice that in the bottom left corner there is now an open star. Tap once on that star and it becomes a closed star to indicate that you have now added a bookmark to that rule:
The Home Screen of Cliff's apps still lists the rules by title, not by number, but there is a new bookmarks button at the top left of the Home Screen. Tap it once and you will see a list of the rules that you bookmarked:
This makes it quick and easy to jump right to the rules that you use most frequently -- even faster than using the Jump button on the Home Page that was recently added to Cliff's apps. The apps still list the Titles in on the Home Screen, useful when you are not exactly sure what rule you want. But if you know the rule number and it is one that you bookmarked, you are now just a tap away from a list of your favorite rules. Bookmarks is a great new feature that I will use all the time.
Flattening. The other issue that I mentioned last week is that in Cliff's apps, you sometimes don't see the entire rule on a single screen. Cliff addressed this by adding a new button to the bottom right of many of his apps that turns on and off flattening. The best way to describe this is with pictures, and I'll do so using the FRCP app -- in part because the FRAP app doesn't yet have flattening, although this feature is coming soon. On the left is a picture of Rule 11 as it normally appears. On the right is a picture of Rule 11 once you tap the flattening button at the bottom right. Note that the icon on the flattening button even changes to indicate which view you are in:
I find it very useful to have the option to either (1) view an outline of the rule to get an overview of the rule and quickly go to the subpart you need or (2) view the entire rule on a single page when you just want to scroll through it all.
Apps to be Updated. Cliff plans to eventually add bookmarks to almost all of his legal reference apps. Flattening is really only necessary for the more complicated sets of rules that have lots of subparts; many apps just have the rules flattened by default. Here are the apps that now have these new features or will very soon:
- CCP (California Code of Procedure) - bookmarks coming soon; flattening coming soon
- Constitution - bookmarks coming soon
- FRBP - bookmarks coming soon; flattening coming soon
- FRCP - bookmarks now; flattening now
- FRCrimPro - bookmarks now; flattening coming soon
- FRAP - bookmarks now; flattening coming soon
- Lanham - bookmarks now
- MassEv - bookmarks now
- Patent Rules - bookmarks now
- PCT - bookmarks coming soon
Note also that Cliff maintains a page on his website that lists the apps available now, the apps coming soon, the apps that attorneys have requested and are under consideration, and information on what has been submitted to Apple and is just awaiting approval.
If you have other ideas for improving these apps, please post them in the Comments. I'm sure that Cliff will see them, and others can comment on your comments to perhaps improve on your idea. It wasn't long ago that I considered legal reference apps on the iPhone just a nice way to view a rule when I was away from my desk. But with all of the new features being added, I'm increasingly finding that the iPhone version of the rules is the version that I turn to first, even if I am at my desk with a paper copy of the rules within reach.
Link to FRCP on iTunes ($2.99): 
Link to FRAP on iTunes ($2.99):
