preservation-letter
Drafts litigation hold and document preservation letters under FRCP 37(e) and state equivalents. Covers custodian identification, ESI scope, hold implementation, and spoliation warnings. Use when sending preservation notices, litigation hold letters, spoliation notices, or evidence preservation demands.
Best use case
preservation-letter is best used when you need a repeatable AI agent workflow instead of a one-off prompt.
Drafts litigation hold and document preservation letters under FRCP 37(e) and state equivalents. Covers custodian identification, ESI scope, hold implementation, and spoliation warnings. Use when sending preservation notices, litigation hold letters, spoliation notices, or evidence preservation demands.
Teams using preservation-letter should expect a more consistent output, faster repeated execution, less prompt rewriting.
When to use this skill
- You want a reusable workflow that can be run more than once with consistent structure.
When not to use this skill
- You only need a quick one-off answer and do not need a reusable workflow.
- You cannot install or maintain the underlying files, dependencies, or repository context.
Installation
Claude Code / Cursor / Codex
Manual Installation
- Download SKILL.md from GitHub
- Place it in
.claude/skills/preservation-letter/SKILL.mdinside your project - Restart your AI agent — it will auto-discover the skill
How preservation-letter Compares
| Feature / Agent | preservation-letter | Standard Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Platform Support | Not specified | Limited / Varies |
| Context Awareness | High | Baseline |
| Installation Complexity | Unknown | N/A |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this skill do?
Drafts litigation hold and document preservation letters under FRCP 37(e) and state equivalents. Covers custodian identification, ESI scope, hold implementation, and spoliation warnings. Use when sending preservation notices, litigation hold letters, spoliation notices, or evidence preservation demands.
Where can I find the source code?
You can find the source code on GitHub using the link provided at the top of the page.
SKILL.md Source
# Preservation Letter Drafts a formal preservation notice establishing the opposing party's duty to preserve evidence, tailored to the matter's custodians, data sources, and time period. ## Prerequisites Gather before drafting: 1. **Case identification** — parties, caption/docket (if filed), or anticipated claims 2. **Key facts** — relevant dates, transactions, events establishing the dispute 3. **Known custodians** — individuals likely possessing relevant information 4. **Data sources** — IT systems, communication platforms, cloud services, retention policies 5. **Temporal scope** — preservation start date through present ## Quick Start Format as formal business correspondence: letterhead, date, recipient block (name/title/org/address), re-line with matter description. ## Required Sections | Section | Content | |---|---| | **Opening Notice** | Counsel, client, dispute nature. If filed: caption, court, docket. If pre-suit: state client reasonably anticipates litigation. Cite FRCP 37(e) or state equivalent. | | **Matter Description** | Factual context sufficient for recipient to identify custodians and sources. Do not disclose litigation strategy. | | **Preservation Scope** | Categorized instructions per scope table below | | **Implementation Instructions** | Litigation hold procedures per checklist below | | **Spoliation Consequences** | Legal consequences of non-compliance | | **Response Requirements** | Written acknowledgment deadline (5–10 business days), hold confirmation, contact info | | **Closing** | Formal closing, signature block with bar admissions | ## Preservation Scope Categories Include only categories applicable to the dispute: | Category | Examples | |---|---| | **Paper** | Contracts, memoranda, notes, financials, invoices, drafts | | **Electronic comms** | Email, texts, IMs, social media, voicemails — all platforms/devices including personal if used for business | | **ESI** | Documents, spreadsheets, databases, presentations, calendars — native format with metadata intact | | **Cloud/storage** | Cloud services, shared drives, backups, archived data, servers, mobile devices | | **Physical** | Products, equipment, machinery, vehicles (if applicable) | | **Audio/visual** | Recordings, photos, videos, surveillance footage | Key emphasis: metadata must be preserved intact; no format conversions; personal devices/accounts included if used for business. ## Litigation Hold Checklist Instruct recipient to: - [ ] Suspend all routine destruction, auto-deletion, email purging, and retention schedules immediately - [ ] Issue written hold notice to all custodians by name and position - [ ] Direct IT to disable auto-deletion, preserve backups, protect systems from data-destructive maintenance - [ ] Preserve all newly created documents relating to the matter - [ ] Maintain records of all preservation efforts - [ ] Continue hold until matter resolved or written release provided ## Spoliation Consequences Address with appropriate firmness: - FRCP 37(e) sanctions: monetary penalties through adverse inference instructions - Dismissal or default judgment in egregious cases - Contempt findings - Sanctions apply even for negligent destruction; intentional destruction risks punitive sanctions and criminal liability - Routine business practices are not a defense once litigation is reasonably anticipated ## Pitfalls and Checks - **Scope calibration** — omit inapplicable categories (e.g., no physical evidence in a pure contract dispute) - **No strategy disclosure** — provide enough context for compliance, nothing more - **Ongoing duty** — emphasize preservation is continuous, not one-time - **Questions ≠ delay** — state that scope questions do not excuse or delay compliance - **Temporal scope** — define explicitly with start and end dates - **Jurisdiction** — default to federal (FRCP 37(e)); adapt to state rules if specified - **Tone** — professional courtesy with unmistakable firmness - **Citations** — verify all case law and statutory references; mark uncertain ones with [VERIFY]
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