By As Law Online 
Key Points
- Trellis.law (commonly referred to as Trellis Law) is an AI-powered legal research and analytics platform specializing in state trial court data across the United States.
- It provides litigators with access to dockets, filings, judicial rulings, and insights on judges, opposing counsel, and case patterns, addressing longstanding gaps in state court transparency.
- Founded by former litigator Nicole Clark, the platform has expanded significantly, with a major AI enhancement launched in November 2024 to automate litigation tasks.
- While it enhances efficiency for legal professionals, it does not replace traditional legal research or constitute a substitute for professional judgment.
- Research suggests Trellis represents a growing trend in legal technology toward data-driven decision-making in trial courts, though adoption varies among firms.
What Is Trellis Law? Trellis Law refers to the platform operated by Trellis Legal Intelligence (trellis.law), a legal technology company that aggregates and analyzes state trial court records. Unlike federal court systems with more centralized PACER access, state trial courts have historically been fragmented, making comprehensive research time-consuming. Trellis addresses this by offering a unified interface for searching millions of dockets, motions, rulings, and documents across multiple states.
Why It Matters Now: With the rise of AI in legal practice, tools like Trellis help attorneys work more efficiently amid increasing caseloads. The platform’s recent Trellis AI launch in late 2024 underscores its role in modern litigation workflows. It benefits solo practitioners, small firms, and larger legal teams handling state-level disputes in areas such as business litigation, employment, and personal injury.
Who Uses It? Primarily litigators, law firms, law schools, and court libraries. Institutions like Harvard Law School and various public law libraries subscribe for research purposes.
Trellis Law represents a significant development in legal technology, particularly for practitioners focused on state trial courts. This comprehensive guide explores the platform’s origins, functionality, recent advancements, and implications for the legal field, drawing from official sources and industry reports.
Background & Legal Context
State trial court records have long been challenging to access comprehensively. While federal courts benefit from standardized systems like PACER, state courts operate independently across thousands of counties, leading to inconsistent public availability and high manual effort for research. Many rulings, tentative decisions, and motion outcomes remain siloed or require in-person courthouse visits.
Trellis emerged from this inefficiency. Founder Nicole Clark, a business litigation and labor/employment attorney admitted in California, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, identified the problem during her practice. After graduating from Rutgers Law School in 2011 and working at firms such as Andrews Lagasse Branch + Bell and Newmeyer & Dillion, Clark created an internal tool to aggregate tentative rulings from Southern California judges. This helped her prepare motions more effectively by analyzing how specific judges handled similar issues.
In 2017–2018, Clark formalized this into Trellis, initially launching in California with seed funding. Co-founder Alon Shwartz joined as Chief Product Officer in 2019, bringing technical expertise from prior ventures including .docstoc (acquired by Intuit). The platform expanded nationwide, building what it claims is the largest U.S. trial court database, covering 46 states, over 3,335 courts, and 2,574 counties. Daily additions of dockets and documents ensure timeliness.
This growth aligns with broader legal tech trends emphasizing judicial analytics—tools that use data to predict outcomes or inform strategy—similar to platforms analyzing federal courts but focused on the more common state-level litigation.
Key Features Explained
Trellis combines traditional legal research with AI-driven insights, making it accessible for beginners while powerful for experienced users.
- Unified Search: Users search dockets, filings, and rulings across states and counties from one interface, reducing the need for multiple court portals.
- Judicial Analytics: Profiles detail judges’ ruling patterns on specific motions or issues, helping attorneys tailor arguments.
- Opposing Counsel Insights: Data on past performance, motion success rates, and litigation history of opposing lawyers or firms.
- Custom Alerts: Notifications for case updates, new filings, or topic-related developments.
- API Access: Integration for firms to pull data into internal systems.
- Support from Former Attorneys: Research assistance from team members with legal backgrounds.
In November 2024, Trellis launched Trellis AI, introducing generative tools such as:
- Draft Arguments: Generates motion drafts based on case facts and similar precedents from the database.
- Case Assessment: Analyzes claims, defenses, risks, and potential outcomes.
- Other Tools: Timeline creation, citation extraction, and complaint reviews.
These features aim to save time on routine tasks while grounding outputs in real court data for verifiability.
Feature Comparison Table
| Feature | Description | Benefit for Litigators |
|---|---|---|
| Unified State Court Search | Access dockets and documents across 46 states | Reduces time spent navigating multiple sites |
| Judicial Profiles | Analytics on judges’ rulings and tendencies | Informs motion strategy and forum selection |
| Opposing Counsel Insights | Historical data on attorneys and firms | Strengthens negotiation and preparation |
| Trellis AI Drafting | AI-generated motion drafts backed by database | Accelerates drafting while maintaining accuracy |
| Custom Alerts | Real-time notifications on cases or topics | Keeps teams updated without manual checks |
| API Integration | Data feeds for custom workflows | Enables firm-specific applications |
Latest Developments or Case Status
The most notable recent advancement is the November 19, 2024, launch of Trellis AI. CEO Nicole Clark emphasized its grounding in the largest trial court database, allowing “one-click solutions” supported by millions of prior motions and rulings. Chief Product Officer Alon Shwartz highlighted data integrity and security (SOC 2 compliance, encrypted processing). The tools underwent testing by practicing attorneys to ensure reliability.
Industry coverage, including PR Newswire and legal tech outlets, positions this as a step toward AI-assisted litigation in state courts. No major lawsuits or regulatory challenges involving Trellis have been reported, reflecting its focus on public records.
Who Is Affected & Potential Impact
Primary Users
- Attorneys and law firms handling state trial matters (business, employment, civil disputes).
- Law schools and clinics for teaching and research.
- Public law libraries providing patron access.
Broader Implications: Increased access to state court data promotes judicial transparency, potentially influencing settlement decisions or case evaluations. Businesses facing litigation may encounter opponents using such tools for strategic advantages. However, the platform relies on public records, raising no novel privacy concerns beyond existing court data policies.
Possible outcomes include faster case preparation, reduced research costs, and more data-informed advocacy. Critics note competition from established players, but Trellis differentiates through state trial focus and AI integration.
What This Means Going Forward
Trellis exemplifies how legal technology can bridge gaps in the U.S. judicial system. As AI adoption grows, platforms like this may shift emphasis from manual research to strategic analysis. Litigators should monitor updates to coverage and features, as well as ethical guidelines from bar associations on AI use (e.g., verification of outputs).
The evidence leans toward continued expansion in legal analytics, with Trellis well-positioned due to its data depth. Professionals are encouraged to evaluate tools based on jurisdiction needs and security standards.
Conclusion
Trellis Law provides a valuable resource for navigating state trial court data in an increasingly complex legal landscape. By combining extensive records with AI capabilities, it supports more informed and efficient practice. As legal technology evolves, staying informed about tools like Trellis remains important for professionals and the public alike.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult qualified counsel for specific matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Trellis Law primarily used for?
Trellis Law is used for researching state trial court records, analyzing judicial tendencies, and leveraging AI for litigation tasks like motion drafting.
Is Trellis available nationwide?
It covers 46 states and thousands of courts, with ongoing expansion.
Does Trellis provide legal advice?
No, it is a research and analytics tool; users must verify outputs and apply professional judgment.
How does Trellis AI work?
It generates drafts and assessments using the platform’s database of real court filings, allowing verification against sources.
Who founded Trellis?
Nicole Clark, a former litigator, founded it; Alon Shwartz is co-founder and CPO.
Is Trellis free to use?
It operates on a subscription model, with access varying by plan; some libraries offer patron access.
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