Managing Hearing Dates and Reminders
Never miss a hearing again. Learn how Advocate CMS tracks cause lists and sends you reminders before each date.
Last updated: April 2026
The Cost of Missing a Hearing
Missing a single hearing date can mean months of preparation lost, costs incurred, and reputation damaged. Most hearing-date mix-ups come from notes on loose paper, WhatsApp messages buried in chat, or relying on a single court clerk's memory.
Advocate CMS makes sure this never happens to you.
How Hearing Tracking Works
Add a Hearing Date
When you add or edit a case, enter the **next hearing date** in the Hearing Date field. This creates:
- A calendar entry for that date
- An entry in your **Upcoming Hearings** list
- A link to the case file for quick reference
Automatic Reminders
Advocate CMS sends reminders at three intervals:
1. **3 days before** — gives you time to prepare filings and briefs
2. **1 day before** — final reminder to pack your case file
3. **Day of** — morning reminder so you don't forget
Reminders appear on your dashboard and can be sent via email (configurable in Settings > Notifications).
Using the Cause List
Each court publishes a daily cause list. Use Advocate CMS to:
1. **Check tomorrow's list** — from the dashboard, click **Hearings > Tomorrow**
2. **Verify your matters appear** — cross-check against the published cause list
3. **Update the hearing outcome** — after each hearing, record what happened
Recording Hearing Outcomes
After a hearing, open the case and record the outcome:
- **Heard** — matter was heard, note the order
- **Adjourned** — new date given
- **Ex-Parte** — proceed when one side is absent
- **Dismissed** — petition or appeal dismissed
- **Disposed** — matter concluded
Add the **next hearing date** if one was given.
The Hearings Dashboard
Your **Hearings** dashboard shows a color-coded calendar:
- **Red** — hearing today
- **Yellow** — hearing tomorrow
- **Blue** — hearing within the next 7 days
- **Green** — hearing scheduled beyond 7 days
This at-a-glance view means you always know what's coming.
Pro Tips
- **Check your hearings dashboard every evening** — 2-minute habit that prevents missed dates
- **Update case status immediately after each hearing** — this keeps your team informed
- **Use the "This Week" filter** — see your entire week's court schedule at once
- **Export hearing history** — generate case reports for clients showing every hearing date and outcome
Need Help?
Try our [free hearing date calculator tool](https://adcms.hikmotic.com/tools/hearing-date-calculator) to plan your schedule.
[Back to case management](https://adcms.hikmotic.com/help-center/how-to-add-and-manage-cases)