Overview

CaseDesk brings docketing, conflict checks, evidence, documents, research, drafting and billing into one system. Its maker lists 106 supported practice areas, with tailored matter fields and tools for each. That breadth should suit practices that want more than a standalone docket calendar, though it may be more than a lawyer seeking only deadline alerts needs.

It is positioned as a professional tool for licensed attorneys. Its offline-capable desktop app and local data storage are notable choices for lawyers who prefer to keep case records on their own machines.

For a focused docketing comparison, see Legal Docketing Software; for broader practice tools, see Legal Practice Management Software.

Key features

Deadlines and research

The deadline engine calculates dates by jurisdiction, accounts for court days and holidays, and cites the governing rule for each result. National rules coverage, docket monitoring, rules-based dates and filing alerts give deadline-conscious practices a useful combination of calculation and follow-up tools.

A 13,400-entry legal reference library and live CourtListener search add research resources within the same product. They complement the matter workflow rather than making CaseDesk a docket-only purchase.

Email and integrations

Gmail and Outlook messages enter a review queue, where users decide whether to file each message to a matter. That gives attorneys a checkpoint before email becomes part of a case record. Other listed integrations include Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Stripe, QuickBooks Online, Twilio, Box, OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox and PACER RSS, alongside Anthropic, OpenAI and CourtListener.

Privacy, evidence and AI

Case data is stored by default in a local SQLCipher-encrypted database, with optional field-level and file-level encryption. The app can work offline; internet connections are used for enabled integrations and version checks. Optional Cloud Sync stores encrypted ciphertext on the maker’s infrastructure, which the maker says it cannot decrypt, but document files remain on users’ computers. The phone companion reads end-to-end-encrypted Cloud Sync in a phone browser, rather than through a native app.

Users may run a local AI model or connect their own Anthropic or OpenAI key; the maker says local-model processing stays on the user’s machine. CaseDesk can hash and sign documents and anchor SHA-256 fingerprints to Bitcoin through OpenTimestamps. Its privacy policy says only the fingerprint is sent to public calendar servers, a distinction that matters for firms assessing what leaves their systems.

Pricing

CaseDesk offers a free beta and paid per-attorney licenses. The beta is free, requires no credit card and has no stated beta end date, but each build runs free for 90 days from first run on a machine. After that, access becomes read-only for two weeks to allow data export. This is useful for evaluation, but not a dependable long-term free tier.

CaseDesk Pro Monthly costs 29.00 USD per month, cancel any time, with a new key emailed each month. CaseDesk Pro Annual costs 290.00 USD per year, billed annually with automatic renewal and two months free. Both remove beta expiry, include optional end-to-end-encrypted Cloud Sync and priority support. Each is per attorney, and one license covers one lawyer’s own installations; neither is a firm-wide multi-seat license.

The annual plan lowers the effective monthly cost for a lawyer ready to commit, while monthly billing offers more flexibility. The 1 attorney · 1 licence key per year Pro offer is also priced at 290.00 USD per year, billed annually with automatic renewal at $290 per year. Across paid plans, the per-attorney limit means teams should account for a separate license for each lawyer.

Platforms

CaseDesk lists Android, iOS, Linux, macOS and Windows. The desktop app works offline, while phone access is through a browser-based companion that reads Cloud Sync. The maker says iPhone and Android store apps are under review, so readers who require a native mobile app should factor that into their choice.

Who it's for

CaseDesk is best suited to licensed attorneys, particularly solo practitioners who want matter management, deadline calculation and legal research together, and who value local encrypted storage. Its practice-area-specific fields may help firms structure matters around their work. The one-attorney license and machine-based beta clock make it less suitable for teams seeking shared licensing or a stable free deployment.

Support comes from the practicing-attorney builder, with replies potentially taking a business day. That direct expertise may appeal to users who value legal context, but firms needing faster response commitments should weigh the stated turnaround.

Pros and cons

Pros: Rule-cited deadline calculations account for jurisdiction, court days and holidays, supporting more defensible calendar work.
Pros: Local encrypted case storage and offline operation suit attorneys who want case data to remain on their computers.
Pros: Matter workflows span intake through post-judgment, with tools for 106 practice areas and a substantial legal reference library.
Cons: The free beta expires after 90 days per machine, followed by only two weeks of read-only access.
Cons: Each paid license covers one attorney, limiting the fit for teams that want firm-wide licensing.
Cons: Phone access currently relies on a browser companion and encrypted Cloud Sync rather than a native store app.
Cons: Support replies may take a business day, which may not meet practices needing rapid assistance.

Alternatives

Choose Filevine if you want custom-built packages for matter management, documents and billing, with optional intake, deposition, signature and AI packages; its pricing is custom quote.

LitDocket is worth comparing if a freemium option and web, API or self-hosted access better match your setup; its Solo plan is 49.00 USD per month for up to 25 active cases.

Consider AcclaimIP as another option.

DocketBird offers a 9.99 USD per month Individual plan for daily tracking of one case, making it a narrower option for someone focused on following a single case.

AnchorLex may suit readers seeking a freemium web option; its free plan includes five court orders per month and one sync calendar.

Docket Alarm is another freemium choice, with a free tier capped at five actions per week across searches, docket views and document views, excluding government-purchased documents such as PACER filings.

Compare CourtDrive if Android or iOS access and a firm license for up to three users are priorities; its Basic plan includes 250 uploads for apps.

Alt Legal is another paid alternative with a trademark-protection add-on for up to 50 matters.

Verdict

CaseDesk is a compelling fit for solo attorneys who want a broad matter workflow, carefully calculated deadlines and encrypted local data in one desktop product. Its clearest reasons to choose it are the rule citations and offline, local-first approach. Look elsewhere if you need firm-wide licensing, a native phone app today or a free plan that remains usable beyond the beta period.

	CaseDesk	Hoowla
Free plan	Yes	No
Paid from	$24.17/mo	£14.58/mo
Platforms	Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows	Web
Free plan	No
Rules coverage	national
Docket monitoring	Yes
Rules-based dates	Yes
Filing alerts	Yes
Client intake		Yes
Client portal		Yes
Document automation		Yes
Time tracking		Yes
Billing and payments		Yes
Trust accounting		Yes
Mobile apps		No

CaseDesk vs Hoowla

CaseDesk

Hoowla