Bankruptcy intake automation that works with Best Case
Short answer
Bankruptcy intake automation should remove the retyping between client intake and petition preparation without replacing the firm’s filing software. Casewell supports two starting points: upload a completed handwritten or typed packet, or dictate in a supported browser and paste the resulting interview notes. Staff review the mapped facts, then download a verified .BCB file and import it into Best Case.
The costly part of bankruptcy intake is often not collecting the facts. It is moving the same names, addresses, assets, income, expenses and creditors from a completed packet or an interview into petition software. A generic form builder can collect another version of the facts, and generic OCR can return text, but neither necessarily completes that handoff.
Casewell is built for firms that already use Best Case. It sits before Best Case in the workflow: intake materials go into Casewell, the proposed fields are reviewed, and a .BCB client file comes out. The attorney still reviews the imported case and files through the firm’s existing process.
What parts of bankruptcy intake can be automated?
The mechanical parts can be automated: reading a completed packet, associating answers with intake fields, structuring interview notes, mapping supported facts to the appropriate Best Case data fields, and producing an importable client file. Legal judgment, unclear source material, exemptions, petition review and filing remain with the firm.
| Completed packet | Client interview | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting material | A handwritten or typed PDF, scan, or clear page photos | Notes pasted into Casewell, including notes captured with live browser dictation |
| What Casewell does | Reads the pages several times and compares proposed values field by field | Structures the note text into proposed intake fields |
| Staff review | Review proposed facts and consult the source where attention is needed | Review the extracted and default values before generation |
| Output | A verified .BCB file for import into Best Case | A verified .BCB file for import into Best Case |
How do scanned bankruptcy intakes get into Best Case?
Staff upload the completed intake as a PDF or image. Casewell reads it in multiple independent passes, compares the results by field, and maps the supported facts into the case structure. After review and generation, the firm downloads a .BCB file and uses Best Case’s client-file import workflow. Casewell does not type into a live Best Case screen and does not file with the court.
- Upload the intake. Use a handwritten or typed packet, including scans and clear page photos.
- Review the proposed fields. The packet stays available as the source for checking what was read.
- Generate the client file. Casewell creates the .BCB with the genuine database engine and reads it back as an importability check.
- Import and review in Best Case. The firm opens the generated file in Best Case, completes any unsupported or judgment-dependent work, and performs its ordinary attorney review.
That last distinction matters. “Automatic population” describes what staff see after importing the generated file; it does not mean an unattended connection is editing an open Best Case matter in real time. The handoff is a file the firm controls. The step-by-step import path is covered in how to import data into Best Case.
Can intake automation work during a client interview?
Yes. When there is no completed packet, staff can type or paste interview notes, or use live dictation in a browser that supports speech recognition. Casewell structures the resulting text into proposed intake fields and opens those fields for review before the Best Case file is generated.
This path is useful when a firm prefers a guided conversation to a long take-home questionnaire. It is not a call recorder, meeting bot or transcription service: the browser places recognized speech into an editable notes field, and the staff member can correct the text before submitting it.
What should the firm review before import?
Review identity fields, dollar amounts, creditor treatment, petition-date values and any fact that is unclear or incomplete in the source. Automation reduces repetitive entry; it does not convert incomplete client information into a legally complete petition. An honest blank is safer than a plausible invented value.
- Source accuracy: confirm that the proposed value matches the uploaded packet or interview notes.
- Completeness: follow up on missing schedules, continued pages and unanswered questions.
- Legal classification: have the attorney resolve exemptions, priority treatment and other judgment-dependent issues.
- Best Case review: inspect the imported client file before filing, just as the firm would after manual entry.
Does bankruptcy intake automation replace Best Case?
No. Casewell handles the upstream intake-to-data handoff and generates a Best Case client file. Best Case remains the firm’s petition-preparation and filing system. That makes the workflow suitable for a firm that wants less re-entry without retraining everyone on a replacement filing platform.
Can Casewell process a typed intake packet as well as handwriting?
Yes. Packet upload accepts typed and handwritten PDFs or images. The same review-and-export workflow applies to both.
Does Casewell connect directly to an open Best Case database?
No. Casewell generates a verified .BCB client file that the firm downloads and imports into Best Case. It does not edit a live Best Case matter over an unattended integration.
Can I upload a recorded client call?
No. In a supported browser, staff can use live dictation to place speech into the editable notes field, or paste an existing text transcript. Casewell does not accept audio-file uploads.
Can the firm use its own intake form?
Yes. Casewell uses per-firm form profiles, so onboarding can tune the reading workflow to the firm’s own completed intake packet.
Who reviews the petition data?
Firm staff review the proposed intake fields, and the attorney remains responsible for legal judgment and review of the imported case before filing.
Best Case and Stretto are trademarks of their respective owners. Casewell is an independent product and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by Best Case, Stretto, or any of their affiliates. References to Best Case and Stretto describe compatibility only and are nominative (descriptive) use.
This page is general information for law-firm staff, not legal advice for any particular case.